How to Round and Sort Data using Excel Formulas?

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Cheryl asks via e-mail,

I was wondering if you could help me figure out how to combine the round formula with the rank formula? I need to first round all the numbers and then rank them. I have tried various ways to do this but they aren’t working properly. I really don’t want to add a column to round and then rank because I need to do this round/rank many times for this particular spreadsheet. There are also merged columns which makes it even more challenging. Before I go through the painstaking efforts to insert columns to round, I thought I’d check with you.

round-and-sort-using-excel-array-formulas
Of course, just as any other excel formula problem, we can solve this with … strong coffee.

Well, I am kidding, but coffee along with array formulas seems to help.

How to write an excel array formula to round and sort a list?

Assuming the data is in range C3:C12, and B3:B12 has running numbers from 1 to 10, the below array formula,

=SMALL(ROUNDDOWN(C3:C12,0),B3:B12)

when entered in the range D3:D12 will round and sort the range of values in C3:C12.

Remember, first you should select the entire range D3:D12 and then type the formula (in first cell) and press ctrl + shift + enter to make it an array formula.

Update: Even better alternatives from commenters

Here are few interesting alternatives, thanks to our commeneters.

  • =SMALL(ROUNDDOWN($B$1:$B$9,0),ROW(B1)), array enter in cell C1 and drag in the entire range. Thanks to Chrisham.
  • Instead of using ROW() as Chrisham did above, we can also use ROWS() function. This will let you add rows on top without having to change formulas. Elias recommends using this formula: =SMALL(INDEX(INT($C$3:$C$12),0),ROWS($D$3:D3)). Thank you.
  • Since we are only sorting numbers, it shouldn’t matter whether we sort and round or round and sort, as Jeff pointed. So, we can use the normal formula =ROUNDDOWN(SMALL($B$3:$B$12,ROWS(B$3:B3)),0) in cell C3 and copy in the entire range. Thanks Jeff

More resources: Learn excel array formulas | Online Help on Excel Formulas

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13 Responses to “Using pivot tables to find out non performing customers”

  1. David Onder says:

    To avoid the helper column and the macro, I would transpose the data into the format shown above (Name, Year, Sales).  Now I can show more than one year, I can summarize - I can do many more things with it.  ASAP Utilities (http://www.asap-utilities.com) has a new experimental feature that can easily transpose the table into the correct format.  Much easier in my opinion.

    David 

    • Chandoo says:

      Of course with alternative data structure, we can easily setup a slicer based solution so that everything works like clockwork with even less work.

  2. Martin says:

    David, I was just about to post the same!
    In Contextures site, I remember there's a post on how to do that. Clearly, the way data is layed out on the very beginning is critical to get the best results, and even you may thinkg the original layout is the best way, it is clearly not. And that kind of mistakes are the ones I love ! because it teaches and trains you to avoid them, and how to think on the data structure the next time.
     
    Eventually, you get to that place when you "see" the structure on the moment the client tells you the request, and then, you realized you had an ephiphany, that glorious moment when data is no longer a mistery to you!!!
     
    Rgds,

  3. JMarc says:

    Chandoo,
    If the goal is to see the list of customers who have not business from yearX, I would change the helper column formula to :  =IF(selYear="all",sum(C4:M4),sum(offset(C4:M4,,selyear-2002,1,columns(C4:M4)-selyear+2002)))
     This formula will sum the sales from Selected Year to 2012.

    JMarc

  4. Elias says:

    If you are already using a helper column and the combox box runs a macro after it changes, why not just adjust the macro and filter the source data?
     
    Regards

  5. RichW says:

    I gotta say, it seems like you are giving 10 answers to 10 questions when your client REALLY wants to know is: "What is the last year "this" customer row had a non-zero Sales QTY?... You're missing the forest for the trees...
    Change the helper column to:
    =IFERROR(INDEX(tblSales[[#Headers],[Customer name]:[Sales 2012]],0,MATCH(9.99999999999999E+307,tblSales[[#This Row],[Customer name]:[Sales 2012]],1)),"NO SALES")
    And yes, since I'm matching off of them for value, I would change the headers to straight "2002" instead of "Sales 2002" but you sort the table on the helper column and then and there you can answer all of your questions.

  6. Kevin says:

    Hi thanks for this. Just can't figure out how you get the combo box to control the pivot table. Can you please advise?
     
    Cheers

  7. Kevin says:

    Thanks Chandoo. But I know how to insert a combobox, I was more referring to how does in control the year in the pivot table? Or is this obvious?  I note that if I select the Selected Year from the PivotTable Field List it says "the field has no itens" whereas this would normally allow you to change the year??
     
    Thanks again

  8. Kevin says:

     
    worked it out thanks...
    when =data!Q2 changes it changes the value in column N:N and then when you do a refreshall the pivottable vlaues get updated 
     
    Still not sure why PivotTable Field List says “the field has no itens"?? I created my own pivot table and could not repeat that.

  9. Bermir says:

    Hi, I put the sales data in range(F5:P19) and added a column D with the title 'Last sales in year'. After that, in column D for each customer, the simple formula

    =2000+MATCH(1000000,E5:P5)

    will provide the last year in which that particular customer had any sales, which can than easily be managed by autofilter.

    • Bermir says:

      Somewhat longer but perhaps a bit more solid (with the column titles in row 4):

      =RIGHT(INDEX($F$4:$P$19,1,MATCH(1000000,F5:P5)),4)

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