Do you want to know the secret to building complex, advanced Excel formulas? Here it is… 👇
Get inspiration from LEGO.
Confused? Let me demonstrate.
Calculating Student with Highest GPA
Let’s build a formula to calculate the student with best GPA out of a table like this:
Our data is in columns C& D, in the range C6:D45.
- We can easily lookup the name of a student with GPA of say, 3.53, using lookup formulas like XLOOKUP.
- We can also calculate the maximum (best) GPA using the MAX formula.
When you combine the Ideas 1 & 2, just like you combine LEGO, you create a third formula that gets the name of student with highest GPA.
So the final formula would be:
=XLOOKUP(MAX(D6:D45),D6:D45,C6:C45)
And now, you can do the happy dance.
How about second highest GPA Student?
We can extend this idea to get the name of student with second highest GPA. Instead of MAX, we need to use LARGE function. Like this:
=XLOOKUP(LARGE(D6:D45, 2),D6:D45,C6:C45)
In the above formula, LARGE(…, 2) returns the second highest GPA.
You can use the same concept to get third highest or second lowest (use SMALL(…,2)).
The LEGO way of building complex formulas...
Just as there are a few basic building blocks in LEGO (well, nowadays, you can find a weird block shaped like dragon’s eyeball to fit in your harry potter set, but you get my point), we can also construct a complex formula from few basic ingredients.
Keep this construction tips in mind…
- Break down the complex problem to small manageable chunks
- Write down formulas for these chunks
- If you need to repeat some logic, consider using either helper cells, or the new LET() function
- Utilize the power of Excel references (absolute - $A$1, relative A1, mixed - A$1, $A1 and finally structural (table[column]) to write shorter & simpler formulas
- Try newer formulas like FILTER, UNIQUE, SORT, LAMBDA etc. to get results easily
- Take time to learn new techniques - such as spill ranges, LAMBDAs, data type driven formulas
- When you have time, challenge yourself to figure out another formula to solve the problem
5 Examples of how to build complex formulas
If you are curious about this, then definitely watch my video. It shows how to write advanced formulas with Excel. See it below or on my YouTube channel.
Sample Workbook - 5 Complex Formulas
If you would like to practice these formulas, here is the sample workbook.
Share your answers in the comments section.
Want more inspiration? Check out below examples:
There are heaps of advanced formula examples on chandoo.org. Start with below and see how you can twist the same 2×2 block in umpteen ways.
- Formula Forensics – a series of amazing Excel formula trickery
- Multi-condition Lookups – using good old VLOOKUP in creative ways
- 10 Advanced IF formula tricks – the trusty IF can do wonders
- Dynamic Array Formulas – HOT HOT HOT – You must try these.
13 Responses to “Gantt Box Chart Tutorial & Template – Download and Try today”
Hi Chandoo
As one of your students I have followed your detailed example through with great success. However, Excel is acting in an unexpected way and I wonder if you could take a look?
http://cid-95d070c79aef808e.office.live.com/self.aspx/.Public/Gantt%20Box%20Chart.xlsm
On my version, I have to type 40239 (Which equates to 2 Mar 2010) to get the chart to display 31 May 2010 (which should be 40329)!!??
Have I done something wrong or is Excel acting up?
Thx
Oli
PS Your example file in 2007 displays correctly.
Hi,
I like this idea a lot, but I agree the name is a little drab.
As an American I may just be seeing things, but to me the combination of lines and bars on your chart looks like a bunch of cricket bats.
Maybe you could work that into a catchier name. 🙂
Cheers!
Here is some code I use to keep the axis synched.
It may be useful to some of your readers
It is based on a comment I saw on Daily Dose of Excel.
Function SynchGanttAxis(Cname, lower, upper)
'Sets the X min and X max for Category axis
Application.Volatile
On Error Resume Next
'
'Top Horizontal Axis
With ActiveSheet.Shapes(Cname).Chart.Axes(xlCategory, 1)
.MinimumScale = lower
.MaximumScale = upper
End With
'Bottom Horizontal Axis
With ActiveSheet.Shapes(Cname).Chart.Axes(xlValue, 2)
.MinimumScale = lower
.MaximumScale = upper
End With
End Function
Function SynchVerticalAxis(Cname, lower, upper)
Application.Volatile
On Error Resume Next
' Excel 2007 only
'Right hand vertical axis
With ActiveSheet.Shapes(Cname).Chart.Axes(xlValue, 1)
.MinimumScale = 0
.MaximumScale = upper
End With
End Function
@Oli.. Can you check your file again.. I see 40329...
@Dave: Even I saw things.. the bars actually looked like lollipops. How about calling this lollipop chart - now that would be yummy and goes along the tradition of naming charts after eatables (bar, pie, donut...)
@Bob: Superb stuff... thanks for sharing 🙂
Hi Chandoo
This looks really good and I think it can also be applied to show project phases / milestones.
Question: Thinking further could this be amended to display a project lifecycle (Idea through to Implementation say 7 phases) on one bar / row? Just imagine 20 projects within a programme all on one chart one bar each showing their respective lifecycle stages i.e. on one page.
Idea: As the Gantt Box Chart this is quite intensive to set up re formatting etc how about the added extra of once you have completed this to "Save as template" i.e. saves the formatting and layout of the chart as a template so you can apply to future charts. Simple to do and will save the time formatting etc again and again and again.
Therefore tip: Click on your chart demo and then click on Save As template icon (2007) - edit file name and click on save. Ready to use / apply via Templates in Change Chart Type window.
Thanks and be very interested if the lifecycle question can be resolved
Mike
How embarrassing.
I was obviously suffering from numerical dyslexia. I was one of those days.
@Mike H: You can easily make this chart to work like a generic project lifecycle plan chart. All you have to do is,
1. in a separate sheet define the steps of lifecycle and various dates in a table (with 5 columns for each of the projects you have).
2. now use a control cell to input the project name you want to show in the chart
3. based on the input, use OFFSET Formulas to get the correct data
4. Rest is same as the tutorial above
For more info on the dynamic charting visit http://chandoo.org/wp/tag/dynamic-charts/ and http://chandoo.org/wp?s=OFFSET
Your solution is really smart but in the en Excel isn't meant to do stuff like this. I, as a former PM, always thought is was frustrating that you had to do stuff like this for something simple like a Gantt chart. So I built Tom's Planner. And would like to plug it here. I think it really solves the problem you are trying to solve in the most efficient way. Check out http://www.tomsplanner.com for a free account or play around with the demo.
Hi there,
Chandoo - this is really a very nice and helpfull chart - I adopted it, so I can report a forecast or the delay of a certain task (coming from my role as an auditor for projects).
One topic I´m currently struggeling with: I do have a project lasting for lets say 12 month. For a management reporting, I want to have kind of snapshot, lets say one month back and 2 month in the future. I tried with the offset formula, but failed. Any idea?
Thx
Lopi
[...] Ein viel geliebter Klassiker ist die Erstellung von GANTT-Diagrammen mit Excel. Wir hatten das Thema wiederholt schon hier. Chandoo.org hat sich mal wieder mit einer neuen Variante hervorgetan: Das GANTT-Box-Chart. [...]
[...] [...]
Hi Chandoo - fantastic xls. One thing I can't figure out how to do is adjust the alignment of the vertical axis. I would like to left align so that I could indent to represent sub tasks. Can that be done? Or is there a better way?
I've been trying to work out if there's a way to show weekends on the graph. The closest thing I've got is to add them on a secondary axis, but then I haven't been able to keep both axis lined up together! Any ideas?
Following on from this - is it possible to show things like holidays?