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Data validation in Excel - getting the Id, not Name

Here's what I want to do:
Let's say I have a named range with two columns:

Id Name
1 One
2 Two
3 Three

For cell A1, I create a data validation of type List, so that the only acceptable values in A1 is One, Two or Three (i.e. any value in the "Name" column)

In cell A2, I make a reference to A1, so that it contains the corresponding Id of the selected value, i.e. 1 for One, 2 for Two, 3 for Three.

Is this possible WITHOUT MACROS? If the solution requires using a dropdown control instead of data validation, that is ok.

Thanks!
/Fredrik

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andrewssd3

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jppinto

On cell A1 you can use a Data Validation list and on cell A2 you can use a VLOOKUP() function to get the corresponding ID.

Ingeborg Hawighorst (Microsoft MVP / EE MVE)

But you can also leave the order of the columns and use an Index/Match:

=index($C$1:$C$100,Match(A1,$B$!:$B$100,0))

with ID in column B and Name in column C

cheers, teylyn

jppinto

I've attached a sample file for you to check...

jppinto
Data-Validation-VLOOKUP.xlsx

barry houdini

Without changing the data you can use INDEX and MATCH, i.e. in A2

=INDEX(Id,MATCH(A1,Name,0))

where Name refers to the name range and Id to the Id range

regards, barry

barry houdini

.....or what teylyn said.....:)

kgerb

This will do what you want without having to switch the columns around.

=INDEX(MyRng,MATCH(A1,I8:I10,0),1)

Kyle
Q-27343319-RevA.xlsx

kgerb

oops, sorry:) Refresh next time:)

Ingeborg Hawighorst (Microsoft MVP / EE MVE)

@jppinto, the order of the columns is

ID | Name

not the other way round. Hence the suggestions for Index/Match.

barry houdini

....or use VLOOKUP without switching the columns...

=VLOOKUP(A1,IF({1,0},Name,Id),2,0)

regards, barry

jppinto

If the order of the columns is "inverted", you can use a "negative" VLOOKUP() function, like I propose here:

http://excel-user.blogspot.com/2011/07/negative-vlookupreturn-value-to-left-of.html

jppinto

andrewssd3

And I thought swapping the columns around was a fairly harmless suggestion....:)

Rory Archibald

Barry,
I worry about you sometimes... :)

barry houdini

It's a good opening gambit.....!

[off topic alert]

...on the face of it VLOOKUP is easier to use but there's a case for using INDEX/MATCH even if the columns are the other way round. INDEX/MATCH allows you much greater flexibility, e.g. you can insert a column between Id and Name without causing the formula to fail (not the case with VLOOKUP)....you can see much more quickly which column the values are returned from (rather than having to count 47 columns with some VLOOKUPs) and you could, for instance, much more easily lookup a value in one row and return the value from the row above or below.

regards, barry

barry houdini

Barry,
I worry about you sometimes... :)

Hello Rory - the doctor says that as long as I keep taking the medication I'll be OK in 10-15 years.....

barry

Rory Archibald

Are you supposed to take it with cider though??