Home Archives for Lookup Functions in Excel
November 17, 2010 1 Comment

Use the Choose Function in Excel to Quickly Lookup a Value

The CHOOSE Function in Excel is an incredibly useful – albeit, relatively unknown – tool to use when you need to look up a Value in a list. In Excel 2007, you can now use CHOOSE to return up to 254 different Values in a list! (In Excel 2003, the limit is 29 values.)

Here is the Syntax: =CHOOSE(Index_Num, Value1, Value2…) where the Index_Num is a positive serial number between 1 and 254 (In Excel 2007)

In this lesson, I first demonstrate how to look up a “label” (January, February, etc.) for a cell that contains a “Number” for the month (1,2,3, etc).

Rather than struggle with “nested IF()statements,” use the CHOOSE Function when you need to return a value for any number between 1 and 254 – it is so much easier!

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November 15, 2010 Leave a Comment

Use a Combo Box to Dynamically Change Your Excel Chart Data

You can “drive” your Excel Charts – dynamically change the data behind the chart. Focus your audience’s attention on the information that you are discussing. Let your audience see a chart that illustrates the scenario that they select.

To do this – add a Combo Box that lists the choices for each chart display that you offer!

(Click here to view my free Excel Training lesson on Combo Box Controls for more information.)

Key Steps to Take:

  • Use the INDEX() Function to look-up the values for your chart data.
  • For the 2nd argument in the INDEX() Function select the cell that is the “cell link” for your Combo Box. Use the F4 Keyboard Shortcut to make this part of the formula “Absolute.”
  • Insert the Chart Type that best represents your data. Position your chart adjacent to the Combo Box.

Click here to watch this video on my YouTube Channel – DannyRocksExcels –  in High Definition and Full Screen Mode.

I have several lessons that cover Charting in Excel 2007 on my DVD, “The 50 Best Tips for Excel 2007.” Buy it now!

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October 30, 2010 1 Comment

How to Add a Data Validation Drop Down List to an Excel Form

Several viewers wrote to me after I posted my previous video – “How to Add a Combo Box Control to an Excel Invoice Form” to suggest that there is another way to create a “drop down list” for a form. Yes, you can use Data Validation in Excel and use “Allow from List” as your setting. Use the “Stop Style” to prevent a user from typing in a value that is not in the list.

In this Excel Training Video I compare both approaches: Using a Combo Box Control and Adding a Data Validation Drop Down List. Both work well on Invoice Forms. However, you will use a different function to “lookup” other values – e.g. Unit Price – depending upon your choice:

  • With a Combo Box Control, use the =INDEX() function to find the “Unit Price” for the product selected in the Combo Box
  • With a Data Validation Drop Down List, use the =VLOOKUP() function to find the matching “Unit Price.”

Let me know which approach that you prefer. Try both – expand your Excel Skill Set. Add your comments below or send me an email with your thoughts and suggestions: danny@thecompanyrocks.com

You can start to shop for my DVD, “The 50 Best Tips for Excel 2007” by clicking this link.

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October 28, 2010 13 Comments

How to Add a Combo Box Control to an Invoice in Excel

If you are creating or modifying an Invoice Form in Excel, you will want to add a Combo Box Control to allow users to select products from a listing. The key in formatting your Combo Box Control is to choose the correct cell to contain the “Cell Link.”

Cell Link in Form Control

I think that you will benefit from “seeing how this is done” in this video lesson. I know that I always struggled with “reading about” Excel Form Controls. Once you see how important the “Cell Link” placement is, you will better understand how Combo Box Controls work.

Use INDEX Function

Once we have formatted the Combo Box, we need to be able to look up other values to place on our Invoice. In this example I demonstrate how to use the INDEX() Function to lookup the “Unit Price” for each product selected from the Combo Box list on the Invoice. As a best practice, I recommend that you use “Named Ranges” for the “array” that you Index. The INDEX() Function has three arguments:

  1. The ARRAY to Index – In this case our “named range” with three fields (Product Name, Unit Price, Cell Link)
  2. The ROW reference – In this case the cell in the ARRAY that contains our CELL LINK for the Combo Box
  3. Optionally, the COLUMN reference – in this case “2” for the 2nd Column in the ARRAY (Unit Price)

Let me know if my videos in this series have helped you to understand how to use Form Controls in Excel. It took me some time to figure out how they worked; I hope that I can save you some time and ease your frustration in apply them to your forms. Add your comments below or send me an email – danny@thecompanyrocks.com

Find Additional Videos for Form Controls in Excel

Form Controls include Option Buttons, Spinners, List Boxes and more. Here is a link to the other videos in my series on Form Controls in Excel.

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How to Add a Combo Box Control to an Invoice Form in Excel [ 8:01 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1645)
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October 27, 2010 Leave a Comment

How to Lookup a Value Using Multiple Columns in Excel

There are times when the VLOOKUP Function will not return the value that you want to lookup. Suppose, for example, that you need to lookup the “Title” for an employee where the First Name and Last Name are in separate columns. A VLOOKUP() will not help you in this example. Let me show you how to accomplish this.

Key Concepts Covered

  • Use the “&” (Ampersand) to Join two cells that contain Text Values
  • Use the Index() and Match() Functions for the Lookup
  • Create an Array Formula to perform the Lookup – Use “Ctrl+Shift+Enter” with Array Formulas
  • Create and use “Named Cell Ranges” in your formulas to make it easier to enter and understand the formula

Be sure to check out all of the other Excel Video Lessons on Lookups. Click here to go to the Archive of Lookup Function Videos.

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October 25, 2010 Leave a Comment

How to Use the VLOOKUP Function in Excel

The VLOOKUP Function is one of the essential Excel functions that you need to understand in order to work with data tables, invoices and product listings. In response to numerous email requests, I created this video lesson to walk you through each step.

I share my best practices which include:

  • Use a “named cell range” for your “array.” The “array” is the table that contains the information that you are looking up.
  • Make sure that the “Leftmost” column in your array is sorted in ascending order and that this column contains the values that you are looking for.
  • Use “FALSE” as the optional fourth argument when you need to find an “exact” match in the Leftmost Column.

Work with Excel Workbook Used in This Lesson

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October 20, 2010 1 Comment

Create Interactive Excel Forms Using Option Button Controls

This is the third in my series of video lessons that show you how to add Form Controls to an Excel worksheet. Option Buttons, inside a Group Box, are a great way to make your forms “interactive” – to give your end-user multiple options. For example, a choice of shipping methods for their order. Or, to see how different “down payment” options effect their mortgage payments.

The key to understanding how Excel Form Controls operate is to see how the value in the “cell link” changes when you choose an option. The cell link for an Option Button translates a “text expression” into a numeric value. For example, “Surface” translates to “1” for a shipping option.

In this Excel Training Video, I introduce the =CHOOSE() Function. It is rare that I find a client who has ever used this function. Once you see how useful it is, you will start to use it instead of struggling through multiple =IF() Functions. It is really a great “hidden gem” of an Excel Function!

Click on this link to go to my Archive of Excel Video Lessons on Forms. 

You can also find additional groups of related videos by selecting a “Category” from the drop-down menu on the right side bar of any page on my website.

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September 21, 2010 Leave a Comment

How to Use Excel Lookup Functions to Create a Customer Invoice

Excel has many powerful Lookup Functions. You can use them, for example,  to lookup an Item Number when you know the Product Description. Or to automatically look up the List Price for an Item Number on your customer invoice. In this lesson I show you how to use three Excel Lookup Functions:

  1. The INDEX() Function
  2. The MATCH() Function
  3. The VLOOKUP() Function

I hope that you enjoy learning – and applying – these techniques. I would like to hear from you, so you can either add a comment below or send me an email.

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How to Use Excel Lookup Functions to Create a Customer Invoice [ 5:24 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (789)
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May 15, 2010 1 Comment

How to Compare Two Excel Lists for Differences

Lists, lists, lists … It sometime seems that I am swimming in a sea of lists. Lists of customers, updated lists of customers, sales by week, sales for the current week, book lists, revised lists of books, etc. Lists seem to beget more lists and both beget problems – How to compare pairs of lists to avoid duplicates and redundancies!

If you can relate to this scenario, I know that you will enjoy this Excel Video Lesson.

Three Techniques Used in My Tutorial

1) Use the =MATCH() Function

2) Use the =VLOOKUP() Function

3) Use a Pivot Table in Excel 2007

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February 28, 2009 4 Comments

Simplify Data Lookups in Excel

In this Excel Video Lesson I demonstrate a great tip that dramatically simplifies data lookups!

Yes, learning how to use the Lookup Functions (VLOOKUP, HLOOKUP, MATCH, INDEX) is important. But, there is an easier way to answer some simple questions about you data.

In this video, I show you how to use the combination of “Named Ranges” and the “Intersection Operator” – the SPACE – to return the value at the intersection of a specific column and specific row. This “tip” is guaranteed to save you time and simplify your data lookups!

Here are the steps to follow in this lesson:

  1. Create “Named Ranges” for your data set.
  2. Use the “Intersection Operator” – the SPACE – in your formula. e.g. =Region_2 Week_16
  3. It’s that simple!

NEW! Download the Excel file that I used in this video lesson:

simplify-data-lookups

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