Thread: Formula to look up and populate?

To best describe or illustrate your problem you would be better off attaching a dummy workbook, the workbook should contain the same structure and some dummy data of the same type as the type you have in your real workbook - so, if a cell contains numbers & letters in this format abc-123 then that should be reflected in the dummy workbook.

If needed supply a before and after sheet in the workbook so the person helping you can see what you are trying to achieve.

Doing this will ensure you get the result you need!

You can't use Lookups with empty columns in the data

Are you looking for a "Native" or VBA Function (UDF) to do this ? (or sub routine for that matter)

Non-VBA would necessitate "helpers" (IMO) - in terms of scalable solution.

OK - using your sample file and specifically Before Sheet

F1
=INDEX($A:$A,2+(COLUMNS($F1:F1)-1))
copied across to say P1

F2:
=IF(OR(F$1=0,$D2&$E2=""),"",REPT(F1,(ROWS(F$2:F2)<>1))&REPT(","&$D2,ISNUMBER(SEARCH(", "&F$1&",",", "&$E2&","))))
copied across matrix say F2:P10

with the above in place we can generate the results

B2:
=IF($B2="","",REPLACE(INDEX($F:$P,MATCH(REPT("Z",255),$D:$D),ROWS(B$2:B2)),1,1,""))
copied down to say B10

If you then add additional colours per the Ref Table then the data should update automatically - eg:

A7: pink
D7: shoes
E7: black, pink

you should find the data (B2, B7) updates accordingly

Sorry typo on my part - B2 formula should begin with:

=IF($A2=""

rather than

=IF($B2=""