Excel Ordering columns in EXCEL

[Lucio]

Dear all,



I have the following problem: I have a column of data several thousands cells long with values (let's call that D1), indexed by another column (let's call that I1). I want to perform a division operation of the values in that column by the values in another column of values (call that D2), which is indexed in the same way by another column (let's call that I2). But I want to do this operation only for equivalent index codes (le's say, divide the vale indexed as I1=0001 in D1 by the value indexed as I2=0001 in D2).



Nevertheless, the index is not necessarily continuous (as example, if D1 has no value for the index I1=1495, this index doesn't exist in I1, but I2=1495 will exist if there is a non-zero value for this item in D2, so this index number and the related value exists in I2 and D2). How a can I order and divide these series using EXCEL (my version is the 2003 one, BTW)? Can I do this writing a logical function like 'IF' in some way?



Best,



Lucio.

 

[SlimJim]

Hi Lucio

Let's run through this "by hand" to see if I am understanding you correctly.

You take the first item of data in the column D1, read iit's index number in I1. Then you search the colum I2 for an exact match with this index number and, if there is one you perform the division of the data in D1 by the data in D2.

If that is a correct interpretation then the function you need is VLOOKUP, to quote the Excel help file
" Searches for a value in the leftmost column of a table, and then returns a value in the same row from a column you specify in the table"

There is a good description of how to use it in the Excel help file, complete with examples. You will probably have to arrange your data in the order I2 D2 to make this work.