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MS Office Forum / Excel / New Users / July 2007

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What formula/function can I use?

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mekus31 - 03 Jul 2007 23:46 GMT
I'm creating a spreadsheet for a client and I'm not sure what
formula/function I need to do this:

I created a table with over 500 available values. I then created (on a
separate sheet) a form to input the customers information. 4 pieces of the
customer's information need to be used to figure out the correct price - Age,
Tobacco or No, Male or Female, and amount of coverage.

I need to be able to reference the right cell in my table according to how
the 4 above criteria are met, and plug that value back on to my customer
information page to show the customer their cost for choosing that amount of
coverage.

Hope that makes sense and any help will be appreciated :-)
Signature

Thanks,
mekus31

Max - 04 Jul 2007 01:02 GMT
For multi-criteria retrievals, you could use an array-entered* INDEX/MATCH,
something like this:

=INDEX(UnitCost,MATCH(1,(Age=G2)*(Smoker=H2)*(Sex=I2)*(CoverAmt=J2),0))

where UnitCost, Age, Smoker, Sex, CoverAmt are all identically sized defined
col ranges in your reference table, and G2:J2 contains the respective 4
variable inputs. UnitCost is what you want retrieved (the INDEX(UnitCost, ..
part) given the inputs for the rest of the 4 variables.

*Array-enter to press CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER to confirm the formula, instead of
just pressing ENTER. Correctly done, Excel will wrap curly braces { } around
the formula -- see this happening (within the formula bar) as a visual check
that it's correctly array-entered.
Signature

Max
Singapore
http://savefile.com/projects/236895
xdemechanik
---

> I'm creating a spreadsheet for a client and I'm not sure what
> formula/function I need to do this:
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> Hope that makes sense and any help will be appreciated :-)
mekus31 - 04 Jul 2007 13:52 GMT
I appreciate the response Max.
I tried it but unfortunately I think that stuff is way over my head. I've
figured out a different way to do it (all 1680 possibilities, ugh) by using
the IF command but now I'm having a problem with the value showing false when
I take out the coverage amount (in case they don't want to buy that
endorsement). Is there a way to tell it not to show "False," only a value if
criteria is met?

BTW where do you learn all the advanced stuff? I have all the usual Step by
Step and Excel for Dummies books, but they're pretty much beginners books.
Thanks again
Signature

Thanks,
mekus31

> For multi-criteria retrievals, you could use an array-entered* INDEX/MATCH,
> something like this:
[quoted text clipped - 24 lines]
> >
> > Hope that makes sense and any help will be appreciated :-)
Max - 04 Jul 2007 14:52 GMT
> .. Is there a way to tell it not to show "False," only a value if
> criteria is met?

Perhaps you could post your current IF formula ..
Being specific would certainly help attract responses

> BTW where do you learn all the advanced stuff?

well, you could start learning right-here in these excel newsgroups by
reading & trying out the responses to the many posts. takes effort, but
there's great variety around both in queries asked and responses given.
Signature

Max
Singapore
http://savefile.com/projects/236895
xdemechanik
---

> I appreciate the response Max.
> I tried it but unfortunately I think that stuff is way over my head. I've
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> Step and Excel for Dummies books, but they're pretty much beginners books.
> Thanks again
mekus31 - 04 Jul 2007 16:10 GMT
Ok Max, what I thought would work isn't working anyway. This is what I'm
trying to do:

Sheet 1 questions:
Gender: M or F
Tobacco: Y or N
Age: (options are) 18-59
Coverage desired: (options are) 5,000 - 50,000 increments of 5

Sheet 2:
A table with 1680 possible combinations depending on how they answer gender,
tobacco, age, & coverage amt

What I'm trying to do, for example, if the above answers are Male(M), No
Tobacco(N), age 25(25), and $5,000 (coverage amt) I want the cell with the
price to answer $6.80 which will be the monthly charge they have to pay.

You see, what I'm trying to get it to do is look at the values in 4 cells,
to determine what the value should be for the final cell(using my table on
the second sheet). I wish I could input my spreadsheet here, it would be way
easier to explain.

Hopefully I explained it ok. I downloaded the example you referred me to and
am trying to figure it out. If only my client would use Access, this would be
much easier.

Signature

Thanks,
mekus31

> > .. Is there a way to tell it not to show "False," only a value if
> > criteria is met?
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
> > Step and Excel for Dummies books, but they're pretty much beginners books.
> > Thanks again
Max - 04 Jul 2007 16:28 GMT
Perhaps you could use either of the 2 free filehosts listed below to upload
your sample file and then post the link to it in response here (the link is
generated when you upload, just copy and paste it here):

http://www.flypicture.com/
http://cjoint.com/index.php

For cjoint.com (it's in French), just click the "Browse" button, navigate to
folder > select the file > Open, then click the button centred in the page
below labelled "Creer le lien Cjoint") and it'll generate the link.  Then
copy & paste the generated link as part and parcel of your response here.
Signature

Max
Singapore
http://savefile.com/projects/236895
xdemechanik
---

> Ok Max, what I thought would work isn't working anyway. This is what I'm
> trying to do:
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
> am trying to figure it out. If only my client would use Access, this would be
> much easier.
mekus31 - 04 Jul 2007 18:14 GMT
Ok, I've uploaded my spreadsheet to flypic. Here's the link:

http://www.flypicture.com/files/MjM4NjQ5

The explanation of what I'm trying to do is on the spreadsheet itself.
Signature

Thanks,
mekus31

> Perhaps you could use either of the 2 free filehosts listed below to upload
> your sample file and then post the link to it in response here (the link is
[quoted text clipped - 32 lines]
> > am trying to figure it out. If only my client would use Access, this would be
> > much easier.
MartinW - 05 Jul 2007 01:37 GMT
Hi Mekus,

I haven't got time to follow through with this at the moment but you could
simplify things by splitting your critical sheet into another 4 sheets,
called MY, MN, FY and FN.

Then in your lookup formula to address the right sheet use  =B7&F5&"!"
That takes 2 of your criteria out of the lookup for you.

HTH
Martin

> Ok, I've uploaded my spreadsheet to flypic. Here's the link:
>
[quoted text clipped - 52 lines]
>> > would be
>> > much easier.
Max - 05 Jul 2007 03:16 GMT
One way to deliver it here ..

In Client Info Sheet,

Place in K16, normal ENTER will do:
=IF(COUNTA(B5,B7,F5,F16)<4,"",INDEX(OFFSET('Critical Care
Endors'!$A:$A,,MATCH(IF(B7="M",B7&"ale "&F5&" Tobacco",IF(B7="F",B7&"emale
"&F5&" Tobacco","")),'Critical Care
Endors'!$1:$1,0)-1+F16/5000,),MATCH(B5,'Critical Care Endors'!$A:$A,0)))

Here's a link to an implemented sample:
http://www.flypicture.com/download/MjM4ODM5
MultiCriteria Extract fr Actuarial Table.xls
Signature

Max
Singapore
http://savefile.com/projects/236895
xdemechanik
---

> Ok, I've uploaded my spreadsheet to flypic. Here's the link:
>
> http://www.flypicture.com/files/MjM4NjQ5
>
> The explanation of what I'm trying to do is on the spreadsheet itself.
mekus31 - 06 Jul 2007 00:14 GMT
Thanks Max, appreciate the formula.
I'm now in the process of figuring out what all the things are that you
used. Match, Offset, etc. so I may come back at you w/ a couple questions if
that's ok.
It's important for me to figure out what you did so I can repeat it with
other options.
Anyway, thanks again :-)
Signature

Thanks,
mekus31

> One way to deliver it here ..
>
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
> >
> > The explanation of what I'm trying to do is on the spreadsheet itself.
Max - 06 Jul 2007 03:46 GMT
> Thanks Max, appreciate the formula.

welcome. glad that got you going here.

> I'm now in the process of figuring out what all the things are that you
> used. Match, Offset, etc. so I may come back at you w/ a couple questions if
> that's ok. It's important for me to figure out what you did so I can repeat it with
> other options.

Usually it's best to put this kind of request in as a new posting.
But I'll try explain it here for you ..

The core challenging part here is to be able grab the correct column from
the reference table "as-is" (ie the table in sheet: Critical Care Endors) and
then use this in a INDEX(Correct Col,Correct Row) construct to return the
required cost value within the Correct Col.

The Correct Col is returned via using: OFFSET(RefRange,,Col param,)

A study of the ref table reveals fortunately that we can use the col labels
in the first row, ie that there is regularity, a sort of pattern which would
simplify things. The key pattern here would be that the "Male N Tobacco",
"Male Y Tobacco", "Female N Tobacco" "divider" cols are consistently named in
themselves, and importantly, the "Face Amt" col labels which are adjacent to
each of the divider cols are also consistently structured in name, number and
placement. There's 10 of these "Face Amt" col labels to the right of each
divider col, eg: 5,000, 10,000, ... 50,000.  

OFFSET(RefRange,,Col param,)
where RefRange = 'Critical Care Endors'!$A:$A
will return a corresponding col range defined by the Col Param
If Col param is say = 1, OFFSET('Critical Care Endors'!$A:$A,,2,) returns
the col range 'Critical Care Endors'!$B:$B, ie 1 col to the right of the
RefRange.

Col param =
MATCH(concat string,1st row of reference table,0)+ an arithmetic adjustment

where
concat string
= IF(B7="M",B7&"ale "&F5&" Tobacco",IF(B7="F",B7&"emale "&F5&" Tobacco",""))

The concat string IF formula essentially composes the various DV inputs in
"Client Info Sheet" for an exact match with one of the divider cols, eg:"Male
Y Tobacco", "Female N Tobacco" etc within the 1st row of the reference table,
ie: 'Critical Care Endors'!$1:$1.

The number returned by the MATCH() is the position of the label. The
arithmetic adjustment part: -1+F16/5000 applied then adjusts this label
position number returned by the MATCH() to yield the final, correct number
for the Col param depending on the Face Amt DV input (the input in F16).  

With the Correct Col grabbed/returned by the OFFSET(RefRange,,Col param,),
INDEX(Correct Col,Correct Row)
where Correct Row = MATCH(B5,'Critical Care Endors'!$A:$A,0))

then simply matches the Age DV input in B5 with the Issue Age col: 'Critical
Care Endors'!$A:$A to return the correct row, and hence the required
intersection point value (the Cost)

Finally, the front IF part of it:
=IF(COUNTA(B5,B7,F5,F16)<4,"", ...)

simply ensures that all 4 the DV inputs in B5,B7,F5,F16 are selected before
proceeding to calc INDEX(Correct Col,Correct Row). If any one DV is still
empty (ie cleared with the Delete key, not selected yet by user) then you
have a neat blank:"" appearing in the formula cell.

Hope the above helps to explain it ok for your easy cross application
elsewhere.
Signature

Max
Singapore
http://savefile.com/projects/236895
xdemechanik
---

Max - 10 Jul 2007 23:59 GMT
Typo in line:
> If Col param is say = 1, OFFSET('Critical Care Endors'!$A:$A,,2,) returns

should have read as:
> If Col param is say = 1, OFFSET('Critical Care Endors'!$A:$A,,1,) returns
Signature

Max
Singapore
http://savefile.com/projects/236895
xdemechanik
---

Max - 04 Jul 2007 15:12 GMT
> I tried it but unfortunately I think that stuff is way over my head ..

Perhaps try this sample from my archives*
which illustrates a multi-criteria INDEX/MATCH in action:
http://savefile.com/files/555218
Matching multiple criteria.xls

*Link is in my sign-off. 100's of samples available for easy reference.
All FOC, all are welcome.  
Signature

Max
Singapore
http://savefile.com/projects/236895
xdemechanik
---

 
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