Index/Match values from a column using a grid of a different length (Excel 2010) - excel

Question

I am trying to index match values from a long column to a grid of a different length. It looks like this
Word Number Column X Column Y Column Z
This 55 55 33 12
is 62 62 42 18
The 78 78 31 24
42
31
12
18
24
33
The grid (Column X,Y,Z) contains all the values from the Number Column. What I am trying to do is basically index the "Word" column, using a value from the "Number" Column, and looking it up in the value array of X Y Z.
Example (because this is confusing):
Input the Value 33 from the Number column, look for the value in the columns XYZ, and then return the Word "This".
Input the Value 18 from the number column, look for the value in columns XYZ, return the word "is"
etc...
Any help would be very much appreciated!

Answer 1

there is a quicker way and shorter formula to do this:
=IFERROR(INDEX(A:A,IFERROR(MATCH(B2,C:C,0),IFERROR(MATCH(B2,D:D,0),MATCH(B2,E:E,0))),1),"not found")
paste that into, any column really, into row 2 and drag down, it will return the words you require, if value not found it will return "not found"

Answer 2

Here is your spreadsheet starting at cell A1 (without your headers):
A B C D E
1 This 55 55 33 12
2 is 62 62 42 18
3 The 78 45 31 24
4 42
5 31
6 12
7 18
8 24
9 33
10
11 Input: 24
12 Output: The
Copy this into cell C10, and drag the formula across to cell E10:
=IF(ISERROR(IF(ISERROR(IF(ISERROR(MATCH($B$11,C1:C3,0)),"",CONCATENATE("A",MATCH($B$11,C1:C3,0)))),"",INDIRECT(IF(ISERROR(MATCH($B$11,C1:C3,0)),"",CONCATENATE("A",MATCH($B$11,C1:C3,0)))))),"",IF(ISERROR(IF(ISERROR(MATCH($B$11,C1:C3,0)),"",CONCATENATE("A",MATCH($B$11,C1:C3,0)))),"",INDIRECT(IF(ISERROR(MATCH($B$11,C1:C3,0)),"",CONCATENATE("A",MATCH($B$11,C1:C3,0))))))
Copy this to the "output" cell B12 and use cell B11 as your "input":
=CONCATENATE(C10,D10,E10)
VIOLA!!! You're done!
Proof:
The MATCH() function will look for your value in an array (the range). If it finds it, it returns the index of that array (indexed at 1), otherwise it throws an error. Be sure to set the 3rd argument to "0" so that it only looks for EXACT matches.
Paste this into C14:
=MATCH($B$11,C1:C3,0)
Next, we check if the MATCH() function did indeed throw an error. Paste this into C15:
=IF(ISERROR(C14),"",C14)
Now we have the row number of our matched value, so we will use the CONCATENATE() function to join it to our "word column", A, for use in the next step. Paste this into C16:
=CONCATENATE("A",C15)
Using that string from above, use the INDIRECT() function to turn it into an actual cell reference. Paste this into C17:
=INDIRECT(C16)
And finally, check if a legitimate cell reference was created. If so, return the word, otherwise return "". Paste this into C18:
=IF(ISERROR(C17),"",C17)
Lastly, drag the formulas from C14:C18 to E14:E18, and concatenate the results. The cells in row 18 should match the cells in row 10.
Hope this helps :)