Denice, an Excel School student emailed me an interesting problem.
I have a bunch of data from which I want to find the sum of values that meet a criteria. But I also want to exclude any rows that are hidden.
Well, we know how to find sum of values that meet a criteria – we use either SUMIF, SUMIFS or SUMPRODUCT formula.
We also know how to find the sum of values while excluding hidden rows – we use SUBTOTAL Formula
But sum of values meeting a criteria and not in a hidden rows?!?
Of course, we can get such a total in excel, we just need to mash up SUBTOTAL Formula with SUMIFS (or SUMPRODUCT) and add a dash of coffee to it.
Step 1:Add an extra column to your data
Our first step is to find which rows are hidden and which are not. We can do this using SUBTOTAL Formula.
Assuming your data is in the range A2:B15
Add an extra column next to your data and write the formula =SUBTOTAL(102,B2). This formula will return “1” if cell B2 is visible and “0” if hidden.
Now drag the formula to fill rest of the cells in the extra column. At this point our data table should look like this:
Step 2 [Excel 2007+]: Write the SUMIFS Formula
Now, our summing criteria is very simple. We want to find the sum of all values where product=”Pod Gun” and Visible?=”1″
The formula is =SUMIFS(B2:B15.A2:A15,"Pod Gun",C2:C15,1)
If you do not get this formula, take a sip of that coffee and look long and hard it. If you need some clues, check out the Introduction to SUMIFS Excel Formula page.
Step 2 [All versions of Excel]: Write the SUMPRODUCT Formula
Just in case you do not have Excel 2007 or above, you have to write SUMPRODUCT formula instead of SUMIFS. Here is the formula:
=SUMPRODUCT((B2:B15)*(A2:A15="Pod Gun")*(C2:C15=1))
Again, take a sip, widen your eyes and try to gaze seriously at the pixels. Here is the Introduction to SUMPRODUCT Excel Formula page if you need help.
Step 3: Finish the coffee before it gets cold.
or if you are drinking cold coffee, finish it before it tastes funny.
Download Example Workbook:
Here is the example workbook. Download and play with it to learn.
Share your tips & experiences:
I use “hide rows” option almost regularly to remove un-necessary info. from view. But I never had the need to exclude the values in hidden rows from my formulas.
What about you? How have you handled similar problems before?
13 Responses to “Data Validation using an Unsorted column with Duplicate Entries as a Source List”
Pivot Table will involve manual intervention; hence I prefer to use the 'countif remove duplicate trick' along with 'text sorting formula trick; then using the offset with len to name the final range for validation.
if using the pivot table, set the sort to Ascending, so the list in the validation cell comes back alphabetically.
Hui: Brillant neat idea.
Vipul: I am intrigued by what you are saying. Please is it possible to show us how it can be done, because as u said Hui's method requires user intervention.
Thks to PHD and all
K
Table names dont work directly inside Data validation.
You will have to define a name and point it to the table name and then use the name inside validation
Eg MyClient : Refers to :=Table1[Client]
And then in the list validation say = MyClient
Kieranz,
Pls download the sample here http://cid-e98339d969073094.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/.Public/data-validation-unsorted-list-example.xls
Off course there are many other ways of doing the same and integrating the formulae in multiple columns into one.
Pls refer to column FGHI in that file. Cell G4 is where my validation is.
Vipul:
Many thks, will study it latter.
Rgds
K
[...] to chandoo for the idea of getting unique list using Pivot tables. What we do is that create a pivot table [...]
@Vipul:
Thanks, that was awesome! 🙂
@Playercharlie Happy to hear that 🙂
Great contribution, Hui. Solved a problem of many years!
Thanks to you, A LOT
Hi Hui,
Greeting
hope you are doing well.
I'm interested to send you a private vba excel file which i need to show detail of pivot in new workbook instead of showing in same workbook as new sheet.
Please contact me on muhammed.ye@gmail.com
Best Regards