automatic rota system based on special conditions - excel

I am trying to create system for assigning tasks to a team using existing sequence. I have four separate columns:
Column A – Indicates the given sequence of operators
Column B – Indicates number of current tasks per operator (imported from another file by vlookup)
Column C – Indicates the name of the operator that was assigned to the last task (imported from another file by vlookup)
Column D – Indicates whether any of the operators are currently on holiday (check/uncheck check box (TRUE/FALSE logic)
I would like to automate the system so that the next operator that is due to receive tasks is displayed, however the operator must not have more than 4 tasks already assigned to him/her and must be present (not on holiday).
The selection process must repeat taking into consolidation the given sequence until the name is selected, hence if the last name in the sequence is not the exact match the system must start with the first name in the sequence.
Could someone be able to figure this out please as I am completely stock.
Currently, I have the following, column with the following =IF(B2<=4,A2,"N/A") and another column with the following =IF(E2=FALSE,F2,"N/A"). And one more column with =INDEX(SQESequence,MATCH(C2,SQESequence,0)+1,1), however that is not fully automated.

I think that I understand your problem / question and have come up with a solution. A more elegant formula solution may exist, will play with it more if I have time.
{=IFERROR(INDEX(INDIRECT("A"&MATCH(C2,A2:A5)+1&":A5"),MATCH(1,(INDIRECT("A"&MATCH(C2,A2:A5)+1&":A5")<>$C$2)*(INDIRECT("B"&MATCH(C2,A2:A5)+1&":B5")<4)*(INDIRECT("D"&MATCH(C2,A2:A5)+1&":D5")=FALSE),0)),INDEX($A$2:$A$5,MATCH(1,($A$2:$A$5<>$C$2)*($B$2:$B$5<4)*($D$2:$D$5=FALSE),0)))}
Enter CTRL SHIFT ENTER to set as an array formula, each function then returns an array of values rather than just a single value. You know you have set as an array formula when you see the { } 's
They say that a picture is worth 1000 words....so here are three!

Related

Returning a column reference from MATCH to avoid using INDIRECT with a Named Range

TL;DR: I'm basically trying to obtain a column range such as 'Sheet 1'!$A:$A where the A is obtained by matching the contents of a given cell to a 1:1 range within a sheet referenced by another given cell, for use in a dynamic range.
In the highly probable case where that made zero sense, here's an illustration:
PARAMETERS: A2 = "LIST" | C2 = "FirstName" | Desired result: 'LIST'!$A:$A
And I've obtained that, BUT, I can't use that output ('LIST'!$A:$A) within formulas (namely to create a dynamic range). For instance, here 'LIST'!$A:$A contains 101 cells with values in them:
V3 = NamedFormula = 'LIST'!$A:$A
COUNTA(INDIRECT(V3)) = 101
COUNTA(INDIRECT(NamedFormula)) = 1 because it evaluates to #VALUE and that is a singular result.
Before delving into the topic of using INDIRECT with a Named Range (which I've read about and am still getting over my confused grief), I'm realizing my Names are getting a bit out of hand. I tend to use Excel like a mad scientist. So, in case there's a much simpler solution to what I'm trying to do, here's my actual mission:
0. I'm building a tool to simplify a process where email addresses are built from different data, which needs to run without any scripts, only formulas.
1. A tab with no imposed name would contain a user database with minimally (firstname and lastname OR IDs) AND (potentially other data columns) in no specific order. Tool users would import that tab from wherever the data got to them depending on the client, and would only need to copy-paste relevant headers to the main tab without changing anything else here for data integrity.
2. The main tab would have specific input fields where tool users would paste in the name of the imported tab as well as the labels of the columns they need (for instance, the labels in the first row of the columns containing the first name and the last name), and an input field for the domain name to use to build those email addresses.
3. A Data tab is referenced for cleaning and preparing strings for email address formats.
4. The Export tab would spew out a list of clean email addresses that can be exported to CSV.
The Data tab is just 2 columns to use with SUBSTITUTE so that for instance apostrophes are removed but accented letters are normalized (é -> e). I've used LAMBDA within Names to get there. The problem is to tie everything in - to get those Named ranges into the final formula.
The Names I'm using so far (I'd like to use fewer but testing specific parts extended beyond simple usage I fear):
ALPH ={"A";"B";"C";"D";"E";"F";"G";"H";"I";"J";"K";"L";"M";"N";"O";"P";"Q";"R";"S";"T";"U";"V";"W";"X";"Y";"Z"}
LABELS =LAMBDA(labelname,ADDRESS(2,MATCH(labelname,INDIRECT("'"&PARAMETERS!$A$2&"'!$1:$1"),0),1,1,PARAMETERS!$A$2))
RANGECOL =LAMBDA(labelname,COLUMN(INDIRECT(LABELS(labelname))))
RNCOL =LAMBDA(label,"'"&PARAMETERS!$A$2&"'!$"&INDEX(ALPH,RANGECOL(label))&":$"&INDEX(ALPH,RANGECOL(label)))
I haven't tied everything in the Data tab yet - I'm still trying to automate my main tab before pushing further and using the Data tab substitutions on top of everything. That will be the next step, not my current focus. But, for the curious and interested, on the Data tab I'm using something something I found on ablebits which works wonders =]
So, now if I use the offset range with a static LIST!A:A it works:
=IF($C$2<>"",LOWER(INDEX(OFFSET(INDIRECT(ADDRESS(2,MATCH($C$2,INDIRECT("'"&$A$2&"'!$1:$1"),0),1,1,$A$2)),0,0,COUNTA(LIST!A:A)-1,1),ROW())),"") &IF($C$3<>"","."&LOWER(INDEX(OFFSET(INDIRECT(ADDRESS(2,MATCH($C$3,INDIRECT("'"&$A$2&"'!$1:$1"),0),1,1,$A$2)),0,0,COUNTA(LIST!A:A)-1,1),ROW())),"") &"#"&$C$4
But when I try to use the dynamic RNCOL($C$3) it does not:
=IF($C$2<>"",LOWER(INDEX(OFFSET(INDIRECT(LABELS($C$2)),0,0,COUNTA(INDIRECT(RNCOL($C$2)))-1,1),ROW())),"") &IF($C$3<>"","."&LOWER(INDEX(OFFSET(INDIRECT(LABELS($C$3)),0,0,COUNTA(INDIRECT(RNCOL($C$3)))-1,1),ROW())),"") &"#"&$C$4
This just gives #REF, and evaluating shows the digression starting at INDIRECT(RNCOL($C$3)) equating to #VALUE.
I'm starting to see double here but my undying and completely normal love for Excel prevents me from going home from work as I'm way too far down the rabbit hole to let my obsession die here.
Any pointers as to how this can work?
Note - all of the names in the supplied sheet were generated by an online fake name generator, nothing in here is actual user data #GDPR
Thanks in advance! <3
Test sheet is available via Google Drive.
Your current set-up is not good for many reasons, and in my opinion would require a complete overhaul, the scope of which lies beyond a response on this website.
As to a 'quick fix' to your current issue, the reason your formula in E1 is currently returning an error is due to the fact that, as you can see via stepping through with the Evaluate Formula tool, the part
COUNTA(INDIRECT(RNCOL($C$2)))-1
is resolving to
COUNTA(INDIRECT({"'LIST'!$A:$A"}))-1
and this is not the same as
COUNTA(INDIRECT("'LIST'!$A:$A"))-1
in that the value being passed to INDIRECT is an array in the former though not in the latter. Although INDIRECT can accept arrays, it is only within certain constructions in conjunction with other suitable functions; here it will simply error.
And the reason that it is returning an array is due to the fact that RNCOL($C$2) is returning an array, and that is because that function is defined as
=LAMBDA(label,"'"&PARAMETERS!$A$2&"'!$"&INDEX(ALPH,RANGECOL(label))&":$"&INDEX(ALPH,RANGECOL(label)))
and, since RANGECOL($C$2) resolves to 1 here, the above is equivalent to
"'PARAMETERS!$A$2'!$"&INDEX(ALPH,1)&":$"&INDEX(ALPH,1)
Here, because you are omitting the column_num parameter from INDEX, the part
INDEX(ALPH,1)
is resolving to
{"A"}
which is an array (albeit one comprising a single value) and technically different from
"A"
In most circumstances, this is not an issue. As such, it is almost always unnecessary to pass both a row_num and column_num parameter to INDEX when indexing a one-dimensional array. Here, however, it matters.
You can resolve this by explicitly including a column_num parameter, i.e. redefine RNCOL as
=LAMBDA(label,"'"&PARAMETERS!$A$2&"'!$"&INDEX(ALPH,RANGECOL(label),1)&":$"&INDEX(ALPH,RANGECOL(label),1))

FIND() formula to include "implicit intersection operator" change required

Over the weekend, my work laptop did a restart and Microsoft gave me the perfect gift in Excel, it introduced the implicit intersection operator which has completely messed up my world, literally every formula has gone crazy.
I've checked every link I can and cannot work out how to correct even the most basic formula. I would like to ask about this one so I can at least make some progress forwards.
=FIND('Value Definitions'!C3,'User Interface'!K:K) was my formula that was worked forever.
The explanation of this formula is to flag all value definitions that have been used within text of all rows in the user interface column K.
When Excel asks me to correct the formula, it rewrites it as =FIND('Value Definitions'!C3,#'User Interface'!K:K).
This results in #VALUE rather than a number of where the first occurrence was found. If I remove the # then I get #SPILL!.
Just to reiterate the purpose of the formula, I identify which phrases exist in an interface that come from the value definitions worksheet, irrespective of the number value I get (character count of first occurence), I just want to identify that it exists at least once. Then I can use this flag to lookup all related value definitions to be included on the user interface.
Thanks for your help in advance.

Index with double Match returns incorrect closest values

I have an planning exported to Excel which looks like the following (tab ' Data'):
Each production line has a number of people working on it. Now is my goal to show how many people are working on a line per minute. We plan per product group, and several product groups combined form waht a line has to do per minute.
To get the production per minute I created the following (tab 'Conversie'):
=INDEX(Data!$H$2:$H$157;MATCH($N$1&A4;Data!$B$2:$B$157&Data!$C$2:$C$157;1))
In the example it works correct. However, the formula doesn't seem to always return the correct "Artikelomschrijving"(H) every time. I get incorrect return values when I extend this formula to other product groups.
I read that the data needs to be sorted ascending cause I use match_type 1. When I do that I get the right returns for some product groups, but the given example suddenly returns incorrect values.
I can't sort both column C and A in ascending order for the formulas to always return correct items. Can you help me to get past this hurdle?
After a little bit of google translate work, if I'm understanding your question correctly, you need to find the "Item Description" (H) of the record where the "Line" (B) = the value in N1 and the time is between the start and end times.
This is an array formula, you have to confirm it with Ctrl+Shift+Enter
=INDEX(Data!$H$2:$H$157,MATCH(1,(Data!$B$2:$B$157=$N$1)*(Data!$C$2:$C$157<$A2)*(Data!$D$2:$D$157>=$A2),0))
OR with semicolon syntax:
=INDEX(Data!$H$2:$H$157;MATCH(1;(Data!$B$2:$B$157=$N$1)*(Data!$C$2:$C$157<$A2)*(Data!$D$2:$D$157>=$A2);0))
I found the solution, thank you for pointing me in the right direction Valon Miller. This is the formula I fixed it with:
=ALS.FOUT(INDEX(Data!$H$2:$H$154;MATCH(1;(Conversie!L$1=Data!$B$2:$B$154)*((Conversie!$A32>=Data!$C$2:$C$154)*(Conversie!$A32<=Data!$D$2:$D$154));0));"")

Excel: How to parse/cast text as a formula?

Is it possible to parse/cast text (like "=A1+A2") as a formula in MS Excel? I want to build a formula from pieces of text - some of which will only be typed in later by a user.
If the INDIRECT() function did not only work for referencing cells, then I could have typed this =INDIRECT("=A1+A2").
I know you can a work around this problem by simply adding a lot more hidden columns to do sub calculations. But for the sake scalability and efficiency, I would rather do something like the above.
I found a similar questions here and here, yet they don't solve my problem.
The Real-world problem:
Read on for a better understanding as to why you would want to do the above
Scenario
Each item in the list consists of a string, which contains anywhere from 1 to 5 account names each. Each account name is followed by an account number in brackets. The length of the number determines the type of account. Part of the account number is a date, of which the date format depends on the type of account. Further more, each account type may have more that 1 account-number length associated with it, although each number-length[*] is only associated with 1 account type.
Objectives
Extract account-names and their respective account-numbers and account-types from a list.
Make an assumption as to the account-type from the account-number
Validate this assumption by inspecting the build of the number and elements in the name
Check the validity of the account-numbers depending on their type.
The tricky part (this is where my problem lies)
The account-types and their respective account-number-lengths are not known before hand, and are typed into a table by the user of the sheet, specifying a type of account and the number-lengths associated with this account-type. The user should type this into a list - not go and tinker around with delicate formulas
Done so far
Column A: Contains the raw data (each cell has up to 5 names and numbers)
Columns B..F: Each column extracts 1 name, remains empty if all are already extracted
Columns G..K: Each column extracts 1 number corresponding to its name in columns B..F, remains empty if all are already extracted
Columns L..P: Each column calculates the length of the corresponding number in columns
G..K
Now the user would type the following details into a table which assigns certain number-lengths an account type:
TYPE2, BUSINESS, (OR(length=13,length=6))
where length will later be replaced with the cell address which contains the calculated account number-length.
What I want to do now
Columns Q..U:
Should all indicate the account-type of the corresponding account-number in columns G..K. The idea is to build a nested if-elseIf-elseIf formula using the criteria typed in by the user as specified above. Example of one of the elseIF statements:
SUBSTITUTE(CONCATENATE("=IF(",criteria,",",type,",",errCode)),"length","O10"))
All of these elseIf statements will then be concatenated together to form a master formula which will then need to be parsed/cast as a formula to calculate the account-type
This proposal uses only 5 columns (1 for each account-number, containing the master formula) and a table specifying account-types and criteria, also keeping the user away from formulas. Editing 1 line of code (the criteria) will update all formulas. Efficient & Scalable.
Since the user should never tinker around with the formulas under the hood, a simple 1 column if-elseIf-elseIf is out of the question. The alternative to the above would be to make a separate column to test for each account-type for each account-number. Separating/Abstracting out each test to its own column results in much better readability, easier editing & much less debugging - Unless you like multi-screen-wide-formulas. Example: 5 account-numbers * 10 possible account types = 50 extra columns.
Each edit to any criteria needs to copied to 4 other non-adjacent columns and drag-filled down 10,000 rows (columns can not be adjacent since it is effectively a 5x5 array of columns). Not Efficient nor scalable. Unless I'm missing some elegant way of updating non-adjacent formulas in a single click
The rest of the validations error indications are trivial.
Sample data
Tshepo Trust (6901/2005) Marlene Mead (8602250646085)
Great Force Inv 67 Pty Ltd (200602258007)
Jane (870811) Livingstone (6901/2005) Janette Appel (8503250647056) James (900111)
I know all this would probably be much easier to achieve with clever usage of VBA, eliminating all the need to simulate abstraction, encapsulation, multi-dimensional arrays and functional programming on a spreadsheet. But until I can program in VBA, worksheet formulas will be my refuge.
[*]: account number-length could also be described as the amount of digits in the number or as indicated by this formula: LEN(accNumber)
In VBA you have access to Cell.Formula.
I usually used Range to peek a cell by address.
I'm not sure if this would answer your question(it's a very detailed question!), but if your user was entering the account numbers in a table (I'm calling it 'RefTable') , that was:
Length of account number | business type
----------------------------------------
6 | Accountant
8 | Advisor
Then you could just use a vlookup on the length of the account number, given you've already separated them out.
=vlookup(len(accNumber), Reftable, 2, false)
Make sure that you either use a dynamic range name, or specify plenty of space below in RefTable, so that when your users add types, they don't get lost.
Also, if you have two different accounts with the same length, this could get you into trouble.

How to search for a partial and an absolute in excel to get an answer?

I have a worksheet, in where I need a search that does more than one query. The problem I am running into is this:
On the workbook there are two tabs, the first is Jobs, the second is OOR. In OOR there are multiple columns empty, Order Qty., Orig Promise Date, and Shop Order.
Now I know there are duplicates, and this is fine, what I am looking at now is to use Column B in OOR is a refrence. So in this case use B3 as the refrence point. which is a partial number of 48900421 Rev 2. What I want to do is this, use two refrence points.
I want to look up B3 in OOR, and use two points of refrence to gurantee the correct job is refrenced. Those two columns to refrence is in Jobs. The first is Column B which will always equal Dakota Systems, Inc., and the other will reference Column C, but this is where I don't know what to do here, I since C3 in OOR only shows 48900421, it will never find 48900421 Rev 2I thought about using something like this:
=IFERROR(INDEX(Jobs!$E:$E,MATCH(1,INDEX((OOR!$C:$C=$B3)*(Jobs!$C:$C="Dakota Systems, Inc."),1),0)),"")
But for some reason I am getting a blank when I don't think I should be. I'm loosing my sanity this late in the week, can someone help?
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/3327208/Excel/twosearches.xlsx
You don't seem to be referencing the right columns....and also you need a zero in the second INDEX function, not a 1
Try this version in in OOR!I3 copied down, using ISNUMBER(FIND to find your part number within other text:
=IFERROR(INDEX(Jobs!E$3:E$1000,MATCH(1,INDEX(ISNUMBER(FIND(B3,Jobs!C$3:C$1000))*(Jobs!B$3:B$1000="Dakota Systems, Inc."),0),0)),"")
format in required date format
Revised re comment below:
=IFERROR(INDEX(Jobs!E$3:E$1000,MATCH(1,INDEX(ISNUMBER(FIND(B3,Jobs!C$3:C$1000))*(Jobs!B$3:B$1000="Dakota Systems, Inc.")*(Jobs!A$3:A$1000=M3),0),0)),"")

Resources