Data validation is a great way to keep your users informed about possible values in a cell and guide them to select something appropriate. As part of the spreadcheats series, in this post we will discuss 2 advanced data validation techniques that can help you when you are modeling a complex worksheet.
Problem 1: You have 2 lists of possible values and you want a way to switch between both
PS: Many thanks to Alex who proposed this idea and solution through e-mail.
You have a cell where user can enter any value from 2 lists. But you don’t want to overload the in-cell drop down list with tons of values, and rather prefer a simpler approach like this:
Solution: Use an IF() formula in validation criteria
The solution is to use an if() formula to determine which one of the two ranges should be used to validate cell contents.
- Select the cell where you want to have this type of validation
- Go to menu > data > validation
- In the criteria area, select “allow” as “list”
- In the source area, specify a formula like this:
=IF($B$7="Full List",Full-list-range,Partial-list-range)
That is all, you now have a data validation list that can change its source based on user preference.
Problem 2 : You would like to change a list’s values based on what is selected in another list
PS: Many thanks to Catherine for asking this question through email
You have a status tracking spreadsheet where each employee enters the status for each of the projects they are working on. They enter the status by first selecting the department and then selecting a project (from that department).
So how do you do this in Excel?
Solution: Use OFFSET and MATCH to determine which range to use
Remember the offset() and match() formulas we discussed in the last spreadcheats? Assuming the list of projects for each department is in a range B10:C22 with column B having the department name and column C having the project name and the list is sorted on column B, we can use offset() and match() combination along with countif (ahem!) to determine which range to use for project cell drop-down.
- For the department cell, we can use simple list validation with values as “Marketing, Ops, Sales, IT”
- For project cell, go to data validation (menu > data > validation) and specify a formula like this:
=OFFSET(C9,MATCH($B$6,$B$10:$B$22,0),0,COUNTIF(B10:B22,$B$6),1) - What is above formula doing? It is fetching a sub-range from the by finding where the first entry for the selected department is, returning x number of rows from that point, where x = no. of projects in that department.
That is all. You now have a list drop-down that changes values based on what is selected in an earlier cell.
Still having doubts?
Feel free to download this example workbook containing a tutorial on Advanced Data Validation in Excel and poke around to learn.
13 Responses to “Using pivot tables to find out non performing customers”
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
Of course with alternative data structure, we can easily setup a slicer based solution so that everything works like clockwork with even less work.
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,
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
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
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.
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
@Kevin.. You are welcome. To insert a combo box, go to Developer ribbon > Insert > form controls > combo box.
For more on various form controls and how to use them, please read this: http://chandoo.org/wp/2011/03/30/form-controls/
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
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.
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.
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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