What I'm trying to do is find the name of the person who is ranked number 1 in the table shown below. I have tried =LOOKUP and =VLOOKUP but I get an error saying that a result can't be found, even though it's obviously there. I assume that I'm either using the wrong function or just not using it right.
I tried =VLOOKUP(1;D2:H19;1) and =LOOKUP(1;D2:H19;1) but neither seems to work.
Answer
The following formula should produce the behaviour you desire:
=INDEX(D2:D,MATCH(1,H2:H,0))
Explanation
=VLOOKUP can only be used to find values to the right of a search key. To find values to the left of a search key, use a combination of =INDEX and =MATCH.
The =MATCH function searches a specified range for a specified value and returns the relative position of the value in that range. In this case, the value to search for is 1, the range to search through is H2:H, and the 0 at the end specifies that the range is not sorted in any way.
The =INDEX function returns the contents of a cell within a range having a specified row and column offset. In this case, the range is D2:D, and the row is whichever row is returned by =MATCH. =INDEX could take a third argument if it was desired to specify a row offset as well, but that is not necessary here.
Functions used:
=INDEX
=MATCH
You sort your ascending order based on rank then return your desired data using INDEX() function. Try-
=INDEX(SORT(D2:H500,5,1),1,1)
=vlookup(1,{H2:H19, D2:D19},2)
Since vlookup only searches the 1st column of the input range, to use it, you need to flip the columns by composing a local array: {H2:H19, D2:D19}.
{} means concatenation. , in it means horizontal concatenation. With that, the rank column is now the 1st column in the input of vlookup and now vlookup works.
With our local array, the 2nd column are the names and therefore index should be 2.
Also note the use of comma to separate function inputs.
your VLOOKUP formula should look like:
=VLOOKUP(1, {H2:H19, D2:D19}, 2, 0)
also try just:
=FILTER(D:D; H:H=1)
or:
=SORTN(D:D; 1; 1; H:H; 1)
You can use query (usefull in case of ex aequo)
=query(D2:H,"select D where H=1",0)
Related
I have two columns and am trying to count the nonblank cells in column B based on a specific corresponding value in column A. So I am using COUNTIFS($A$3:$A,"GA",len(trim($B7:$B)),">0") to calculate that.
First criteria range is Column A and the criteria is if cell value equals "GA".
I want the second criteria range to be Column B and the criteria to be len(trim(cell)) > 0 but obviously I am not specifying it correctly and getting the following error, instead of the expected result of 7.
Please help in how I should achieve this.
Typo? Should be...
=COUNTIFS($A$3:$A,"GA",len(trim($B3:$B)),">0")
(You had $B7:$B.)
You can shorten this anyway:
=COUNTIFS(A3:A,"GA",B3:B,"<>")
I am trying to find a closest absolute value with index match. I looked at several other posts like here but what i am trying to do is a bit different as i want to add multiple search criterias.
As you can see , I am trying to get the absolute closest time for a specific person.
I am using the formula =index(C2:C21,match(F4,B2:B21,-1),match(E4,A2:A21,0)) and I had to copy column B in column C to make my 1st match work. The result is shown in G4. Unfortunately I am struggling to get the correct result.
Effectively I would like use the formula that was posted in the previous post (see link at the top) =INDEX(E2:E21,MATCH(TRUE,INDEX(ABS(D1:D21-I4)=MIN(INDEX(ABS(D2:D21-I4),,)),,),0))
with with a search criteria (the name of the person).
Any help would be much appreciated
Thank you
Thanks #avram
I still end up with some cases where the formula does not work. See below. in G6 and G7 i should get 10:25. (You can ignore column A)
Try this formula in G4,
=index(C$2:C$21, match(min(index(abs(index(C$2:C$21+(B$2:B$21<>E4)*1E+99, , )-F4), , )), if(B$2:B$21=E4, abs(C$2:C$21-F4), 1E+99), 0))
This will work in either google-sheets as a standard (non-array/non-CSE) formula or excel as an array (CSE) formula.
If anyone else wants to tackle this problem with a more elegant formula, you can copy the sample data from this publicly shared google-sheet.
Index match find closest value with multiple search criteria
Perhaps this may exempt a fourth person from retyping the same tired data that the op delivered in image(s).
A very simple approach using a "helper" column with data like:
We want the closest absolute match for larry to 10:15 AM. We enter larry in E1 and 10:15 AM in F1
Then in D2 we enter:
=IF(A2=$E$1,ABS(B2-$F$1),"")
and copy downward. (this is the absolute difference for larry) Finally in E2:
=INDEX(B:B,MATCH(MIN(D:D),D:D,0))
With bigger tables having more columns, it is very easy to add additional criteria if needed.
This answer uses Array Formulas which must be entered using CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER. It's kind of complicated, so I'll do my best to explain and will revise if necessary. Here's a screenshot:
Here is the formula in its raw form; names are entered in column A, Times in Column B.
=INDEX(B1:B7,MATCH(MIN(IF(A1:A7=D2,ABS(E2-B1:B7),"")),IF(A1:A7=D2,ABS(E2-B1:B7),"")))
As you might suspect, it uses INDEX/MATCH to get the job done, but the key is using an IF statement to generate both the search criteria and the array that the MATCH function searches within. Let's break it down.
Sec 1, Match Search Array
IF(A1:A7=D2,ABS(E2-B1:B7),"")
This creates the Search array for the match function. If the name in D2 (our criteria) is equal to the name in the search array, it return the absolute value of the difference between the criteria time and the time in the array we're searching. Otherwise it returns a blank value. Do not use 0 for this as it will skew the match result.
Sec 2, Match Search Criteria
MIN(IF(A1:A7=D2,ABS(E2-B1:B7),""))
This tells us the smallest value in the above array. We use this value as the search criteria in the MATCH function.
Sec 3, putting 1 & 2 Together
MATCH(MIN(IF(A1:A7=D2,ABS(E2-B1:B7),"")),IF(A1:A7=D2,ABS(E2-B1:B7),"")) This searches for the smallest abs difference defined in Section 2 within the array created in Section 1 and returns the row number.
Sec 4, Indexing the times
=INDEX(B1:B7,MATCH(MIN(IF(A1:A7=D2,ABS(E2-B1:B7),"")),IF(A1:A7=D2,ABS(E2-B1:B7),"")))
This returns the time value from column B in whatever row is identified by the Match function above.
Hopefully this all makes sense. Remember to enter it as an array formula.
I am using Google Sheets and the VLOOKUP formula within it. Why does the following formula return a 0?
Columns C2:Q150 are generated from a formula and number's pulled from other sheets. Columns U4:U18 are generated by using the LARGE function (to find max in a sorted manner)
According to the documentation you posted, Google Sheet's VLOOKUP function works in the same way as Excel's.
So you are looking in the range $C$2:$C$150 (the first column of your table, which you specified as $C$2:$Q$150) to find the last value in that column that is less than or equal to your 36, i.e. the value in cell U4, and then returning the value in the first column of your $C$2:$Q$150 range on the found cell's row.
If the last cell in column C contains a zero, the answer will be 0.
Re the fourth parameter (which you are setting to TRUE), the documentation says in its Notes:
If is_sorted is set to TRUE or omitted, and the first column of the range is not in sorted order, an incorrect value might be returned. If VLOOKUP doesn’t appear to be giving correct results, check that the last argument is set to FALSE. If the data is sorted and you need to optimize for performance, set it to TRUE. In most cases it should be set to FALSE.
For excel try this in V4,
=INDEX(A:A, AGGREGATE(15, 6, ROW($2:$20)/(C$2:Q$20=U4), COUNTIF(U$4:U4, U4)))
Fill down as appropriate.
In google-sheets this translates to,
=index(A:A, small(if(C$2:Q$20=U4, row($2:$20)), countif(U$4:U4, U4)))
I am trying to use the INDEX() formula inside an ARRAYFORMULA(). As a simple (non-sense) example, with 4 elements in column A, I expected that the following array formula entered in B1 would display all four elements from A in column B:
=ARRAYFORMULA(INDEX($A$1:$A$4,ROW($A$1:$A$4)))
However, this only fills field B1 with a the value found in A1.
When I enter
=ARRAYFORMULA(ROW($A$1:$A$4))
in B1, then I do see all numbers 1 to 4 appear in column B. Why does my first array formula not expand similar like the second one does?
The INDEX function is one that does not support "iteration" over an array if an array is used as one of its arguments. There is no documentation of this that I know of; it simply is what it is. So the second argument will always default to the first element of the array, which is ROW(A1).
One clumsy workaround to achieve what you require relies on a second adjacent column existing next to the source data* (although it is unimportant what values are actually in that second column):
=ArrayFormula(HLOOKUP(IF(ROW($A$1:$A$4);$A$1);$A$1:$B$4;ROW($A$1:$A$4);0))
or indeed something like:
=ArrayFormula(HLOOKUP(IF({3;2;4;1};$A$1);$A$1:$B$4;{3;2;4;1};0))
edit 2015-06-09
* This is no longer a requirement in the newest version of Sheets; the second argument in the HLOOKUP can just be $A$1:$A$4.
Here is a tip for using vlookup with an array, so that even if the columns are moved later on the formula will still work correctly....
In general, configure the vlookup so that it's reading only 2 columns and returning the second. This can be done by inputting only the 2 columns required, rather than a range and column index.
Example:
Replace the following formula which would fail if columns are moved
=arrayformula( vlookup(C:C, booking!$A:$E ,5 ,false) )
with this formula which will continue to work even if columns are moved
=arrayformula( vlookup(C:C, {booking!$A:$A,booking!$E:$E} ,2 ,false) )
Note, you can also simulate the index function using vlookup.
Example:
Column R:R contains the row index numbers for looking up data in column booking!$A:$A
=arrayformula(vlookup(R:R ,arrayformula({row(booking!$A:$A), booking!$A:$A}),2 , false))
It's a nested array, so it can be helpful to test in stages, eg just the inner part for one example, eg return entry in row 10:
=vlookup(10 ,arrayformula({row(booking!$A:$A), booking!$A:$A}),2 , false)
I am trying to do a VLOOKUP but its just not going to cut the mustard. There is no way I can alphabetize the first column in my list.
What I am wondering is there any alternatives or combinations of functions that I could use along VLOOKUP in the case that the list can not be alphabetized?
From the link in your comment on your OP:
Range_lookup A logical value that specifies whether you want
VLOOKUP to find an exact match or an approximate match:
If TRUE or omitted, an exact or approximate match is returned. If an
exact match is not found, the next largest value that is less than
lookup_value is returned.
The values in the first column of
table_array must be placed in ascending sort order; otherwise, VLOOKUP
may not give the correct value. You can put the values in ascending
order by choosing the Sort command from the Data menu and selecting
Ascending. For more information, see Default sort orders.
If FALSE, VLOOKUP will only find an exact match. In this case, the
values in the first column of table_array do not need to be sorted. If
there are two or more values in the first column of table_array that
match the lookup_value, the first value found is used. If an exact
match is not found, the error value #N/A is returned.
It isn't terribly obvious the way that document is formatted, but the qualification that the lookup range must be sorted ascending only applies for when the 4th argument in VLOOKUP is TRUE, or a non-zero positive number, or omitted. (If the 4th argument is a non-zero negative number, the first column must be sorted descending.) In these cases, you are allowing the formula to return a non-exact match.
If you are looking for an exact match only, then you must specify FALSE (or zero) for the 4th argument, and the first column needn't be sorted at all.
If you are looking for an non-exact match on an unsorted range, then something like this should work in Google Sheets (assuming you are looking for a match of C1 in column A, and returning the corresponding entry in column B):
=INDEX(SORT(FILTER(A:B;LEN(A:A));1;1);MATCH(C1;SORT(FILTER(A:A;LEN(A:A));1;1));2)
DGET - there are a bunch of database style functions in google spreadsheets, I suspect DGET is the one you want.
Plain Text: With vlookup 1 and "1" are not the same. If you format the column as plain text it can do the lookup. This works even if your cell has a formula that produces a number.