Find MIN of Column in Excel Based on Value in Another Column

Do you have a sample file?

You can add a helper column to find the first login time, then use a vlookup to pull that information to your first page.

Here is a basic version of the spreadsheet.

In sheet1 column D I want the earliest time from column C on sheet 2 when the employee initials match to sheet2
HelperFile.xlsx

If you have Excel 2010 or later, you can use the AGGREGATE function to find your earliest time. The AGGREGATE function does not require an array-entered formula. And as shown below, it can tolerate one or more blank cells in column C; the array-entered MAX formula blows up (returns an empty string) in such situations.
=IFERROR(AGGREGATE(15,6,Sheet2!C$2:C$2011/((Sheet2!C$2:C$2011<>"")*(A2=Sheet2!H$2:H$2011)),1),"")

Another option:

Using the DMIN function with the following syntax, the criteria would be separate small table where you specify column Hedaer and criteria, eg in your case initials.

=DMIN(Database,Field,Criteria)

Thanks
Rob H

Trying some solutions this morning to see where things stand...

Rob - The DMIN does not work because I have multiple employees in the list. This was the first option I tried and no matter what I did it did not work with multiple criteria.

byundt - I tried yours a few different ways and I could not get it to work. I was hoping it did. Can you possibly use my helper file and re-post showing your solution?

ThinkSpace - I'm trying your solution now and will post results shortly.

Do you think that since this required a sort that there is any way to modify the formula line to bring back the oldest time for an employee in the next column?

sparker1970,
If you got nothing when pasting my formula in Sheet1 cell D2, that's because the user with initials MXV wasn't found in Sheet2 column H.

If you got some funny looking numbers as you copied my formula down, that's because you need to reformat column D as time.

If you got a #NAME? error value, that's because you have Excel 2007 or earlier.
HelperFileQ28353696.xlsx

byundt,

I am using Excel 2007. I am getting nothing returned in the field. There is no error in the formula or in how I am typing it. Is there an add-on or other functionality I would need to turn on or activate for the IFERROR command to function properly?

Even if I use your spreadsheet and replicate the formula it does not work in the spreadsheet you uploaded even though I see yours working.

The IFERROR was hiding the #NAME? error values in Excel 2007.

In Excel 2007, you can use an array-entered formula:
=IFERROR(1/(1/MIN(IF((A2=Sheet2!H$2:H$2011)*(Sheet2!C$2:C$2011<>0),--Sheet2!C$2:C$2011,""))),"")

To array-enter a formula:
1.  Select the cell, then click in the formula bar
2.  Hold the Control and Shift keys down
3.  Hit Enter, then release all three keys
Excel should respond by adding curly braces { } surrounding the formula.

In the attached workbook, I put the array-entered formula in worksheet Sheet1 column E.

In the above formula, MIN will return 0 if there are no data in column H that match A2. To trap that possibility and return an empty string instead, the formula calculates 1/MIN, which will return a #DIV/0! error value. To return a normal time when there is a match, the formula calculates 1/(1/MIN(....)).

The reason for the double hyphens in --Sheet2!C$2:C$2011 is to convert text that looks like a time into real time values.
HelperFileQ28353696.xlsx

byundt - Worked perfectly now. I was even able to modify it to give me the latest time in another column. I looked for a way to give shared credit since your solution worked and I was able to easily modify it for a secondary purpose but was not able to find it.

I will keep an eye out for your name in future posts (which will be shortly)

Will do. Still a rookie at this and I am learning the ins and outs but appreciate the feedback.