Formula Forensics 012. – A Neat Formula

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In early February Sujit asked a question at Chandoo.org, original post.

I require a formula stating criteria [0%-25% output will be 0, 26%-50% output will be 0.1, 51%-75% output will be 0.2, 76%-100% output will be 0.3 & 100% + output will be 0.4]

Kyle, responded with a neat Sumproduct formula

=SUMPRODUCT((B3>{0.25,0.5,0.75,1})*0.1)

I think it is so neat that it is worthy of sharing and detailing here at Formula Forensics:

So today we will pull Kyle’s answer apart to see what’s inside.

 

Kyle’s Formula

As usual we will work through this formula using a sample file for you to follow along. Download Here.

Kyle’s formula is a Sumproduct based formula

=SUMPRODUCT((B3>{0.25,0.5,0.75,1})*0.1)

Lets look at cell C3 as our example.

Chandoo.org;

In C3 we see the formula: =SUMPRODUCT((B3>{0.25,0.5,0.75,1})*0.1)

Which consists of a Sumproduct function and a formula inside the sumproduct.

We know from Formula Forensics 007 that Sumproduct, Sums the Product of the Arrays, and that when there is only 1 array it simply sums the array elements.

In this case the Sumproduct only has a single array as an element

=SUMPRODUCT((B3>{0.25,0.5,0.75,1})*0.1)

and so the (B3>{0.25,0.5,0.75,1})*0.1 component must return an Array of elements for the Sumproduct to sum.

If we now look at the (B3>{0.25,0.5,0.75,1})*0.1 component.

We can see that it consists of a comparison B3>{0.25,0.5,0.75,1}

The result of the comparison is Multiplied by 0.1.

Sujit’s orginal question asked: 0%-25% output will be 0, 26%-50% output will be 0.1, 51%-75% output will be 0.2, 76%-100% output will be 0.3 & 100% + output will be 0.4

And Kyles formula is using B3>{0.25,0.5,0.75,1} to work out which category the value in B3 belongs to.

We can see this if in a blank cell say C5: we enter the following:

= B3>{0.25,0.5,0.75,1} press F9 not Enter.

Excel will respond with ={TRUE,TRUE,TRUE,FALSE}

This is showing us that the 1st, 2nd and 3rd elements in the formula: B3>{0.25,0.5,0.75,1}, are True

In our example the value in B3 is 80% which is 0.8 which is Greater than 0.25 and Greater than 0.5 and Greater than 0.75, but Not Greater than 1.0.

The next part of Kyle’s formula is (B3>{0.25,0.5,0.75,1})*0.1

In a blank cell say C7: enter the following:

= B3>{0.25,0.5,0.75,1}*0.1 press F9 not Enter.

Excel will respond with ={0.1,0.1,0.1,0}

This is showing us the result of

=(B3>{0.25,0.5,0.75,1})*0.1

={TRUE,TRUE,TRUE,FALSE} *0.1

={0.1,0.1,0.1,0}

Sumproduct now only has to add up the Array

=Sumproduct({0.1,0.1,0.1,0})

Which it does returning 0.3.

 

The Neat Part

The neat part of this is that Kyle has used the 0.1 Multiplier to Force the array to an array of Numbers for Sumproduct to sum.

Had Kyle used:  =SUMPRODUCT((B3>{0.25,0.5,0.75,1}))*0.1

Excel would have returned an answer of 0

This is because as we saw in Formula Forensics 007, Sumproduct doesn’t know what to do with the array of True/False, they need to be converted to numerical equivalents for Sumproduct to operate on.

In a spare cell, say C9, enter: =SUMPRODUCT((B9>{0.25,0.5,0.75,1}))*0.1

Excel will respond with 0

Of course that can be fixed by using a double degative of a 1* inside the formula

In a spare cell, say C10, enter either:

=SUMPRODUCT(1*(B9>{0.25,0.5,0.75,1}))*0.1

or

=SUMPRODUCT(- -(B9>{0.25,0.5,0.75,1}))*0.1

Excel will respond with 0.3 as it should

Except that the formula is longer and now has to do 1 more multiplication.

 

Download

You can download a copy of the above file and follow along, Download Here.

 

Formula Forensics “The Series”

You can learn more about how to pull Excel Formulas apart in the following posts

Formula Forensic Series:

 

We Need Your Help

I have received a few more ideas since last week and these will feature in coming weeks.

I do need more ideas though and so I need your help.

If you have a neat formula that you would like to share and explain, try putting pen to paper and draft up a Post like above or;

If you have a formula that you would like explained but don’t want to write a post also send it to Chandoo or Hui.

 

 

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14 Responses to “How to Add your Macros to QAT or Excel toolbars?”

  1. Ashfire says:

    We have only just got excel 2007 so this is helping me navigate my way through the differences cheers.

    For Macro's i always add a Command Button, rename it something obvious, change the colour of it and finally add the following to its View Code section.

    Application.Run "MAcro1"

    This way anyone opening the file knows what to do if i ever win the lottery and dont make it in 🙂

  2. Ron Murphy says:

    Hi,
    Good article. But I have this problem.
    1) Customized QAT with a macro. Macro name = MacroX
    2) Runs OK from original location (e.g. C:\TestLoaction1\TestFile.xls)
    3) Copy past file to new location (e.g. C:\TestLoaction2\TestFile.xls)
    Menu button now fails:
    Cannot run the macro "C:\TestLoaction1\TestFile.xls'!MacroX' The macro may not be available in this workbook...

    Of course the code is there, and macros are enabled.

    Could get it to work after deleting and recreating macro custom buttons. So have to re-assign macro to QAT button every time I move the file?

    If I put a form button on he worksheet and assign the macro to that, it's location independent.

    Any ideas?
    Thanks

  3. Hui... says:

    @Ron
    What you have said is correct
    Macros within a worksheet are stored within the worksheet and hence follow it.
    Macros referenced by a button in the QAT or elsewhere are locaed in a file and if that file is moved the linkages don't follow.

    The easiest way around this is to store all your macros in a location that doesn't move and is in fact reloaded everytime that Excel starts and that is called the Personal.xlsx/b file.

    These are refered to several time at Chandoo.org or have a read of
    http://www.rondebruin.nl/personal.htm
    or
    http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel-help/deploy-your-excel-macros-from-a-central-file-HA001087296.aspx

    • Col Delane says:

      In Excel 2003 and prior versions, a button added to the Toolbar maintained a DYNAMIC link to the file (e.g. Personal.xlsb) holding the assigned macro, such that if the file was relocated for any reason (by using Excel's native Save As command rather than just moving it via Windows Explorer), the link between the button and the file was updated.
      I expected the same to occur with Excel 2007+, but alas, Microsoft in their infinite wisdom have removed another feature useful to advanced users (just as they did by removing the ability to design your own buttons)!!
      So having just done some reorganisation of my files, I now have to remove and recreate every friggin macro button on my QAT (I have lots) - what a pain in the proverbial!!

  4. Ron Murphy says:

    Hi Hui,

    Thanks for the help, that's really useful.

    1) The macros I'm adding are for one specific Excel application, so I really wanted the macros to follow the file

    2) I didn't want to have to pass other files around too and have users installing those - either Personal.xlsx/b or as an Add-In.

    3) I realise now that the QAT additions will appear for other Excel workbooks in which I don't want the macros available.

    So, it looks like I need to keep it local, by using a button on the worksheet. Unless you can suggest any way of adding to menus just for a specific workbook.

    Thanks again for your help. Great site, so I'll be signing up for the emails.

    Ron

  5. cheryl says:

    I know I'm a little late jumping on this post, but wondering if anyone knows how to add a UDF to the QAT? I've saved my UDF in my personal workbook, but it does not show up in my list when I choose Macros when customizing my QAT. Suggestions? Thanks!!

    • Chandoo says:

      @Cheryl: UDFs cannot be accessed like Macros. You can use them from other macros or from worksheet cells as formulas...
      @David: If you save your macros file and then install it as an add-in then it will be always available for you.

  6. David says:

    The instructions work great when you are creating a new file, and it is still open. I find that I can't access macros after I've saved a file as an xlam and closed it. When I reopen the xlam, either by browsing to it, or by having it set to open as an addin using Excel Options, the macros are no longer available in the macros list when I go to edit the QAT. Any way around that?

  7. JimH says:

    I need to create a button that will run a macro. Once you click the button it needs to open up a browser asking you to select a report/file. Once you select the file, it will run the macro on the selected file and then save it as a new report with a name and the current date. I created the macro to sort/modify the report but I do not know how to do what I mentioned above. I hope this makes sense.

  8. NathanG says:

    I'm having trouble adding a macro to the QAT. I've done everything up to step 5 but my macro isn't showing up. What am I doing wrong?

  9. surfinette says:

    Hi,
    Thank you for the explanation. Very useful for a recent switcher from office 2003 to office 2010.
    My follow-up question is: in Excel (or ppt) 2010, can you customize the macro button that you put in the QAT?
    In office 2003, once you chose the custom button for your Macro, you could then edit pixel by pixel the said button.
    For instance, I've created 2 Macros in PPT that are converting all my slides to either English or French language, so I'd like one button to show EN and the other FR... that would be more meaningful that any of the possible "custom" office 2010 buttons

  10. Morton Wakeland says:

    I read all the post and one important aspect to the QAT was never mentioned. That is, you have a macro driven worksheet that you want to share with other. You have customized the QAT with two icons to run the macros (VBA programs in reality). However, when the others receive the workbook, the icons are no where to be found. It's my understanding those "customized buttons" have been saved to an outside file, Excel.qat. QUESTION: Could one simply attach that file to your email, along with the worksheet, and tell the recipients to copy that file to correct location on their computer - C:\Users\\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office|\
    Would the customize macro buttons then appear in the worksheet and, more importantly, work? Thanks for your thoughtfulness and thanks for well written instructions Chandoo!
    MortW

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