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Lookups between disparate data tables

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    Lookups between disparate data tables

    Not sure if a formula approach can do this, or if I need to go with a VBA approach.

    On the attached, I have 2 tabs. "Source" comes from another entity, as shown. "Formulas" is the work of my predecessor, and is the format my audience is used to and expects to see. As you can see, my predecessor's formulas are all linked into the proper cells in "Source". His method works as long as the other entity doesn't move anything, but I know from experience that stuff moves, so would rather go ahead and develop a more robust and sure lookup method. Knowing I really can't do much in terms of changing the "Formulas" format, how could I go from "Source" to "Formulas" effectively without the dedicated links?
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    Re: Lookups between disparate data tables

    Is it worth the effort?
    If something breaks fix it then.

    To make it "robust" you would need to re-write all the formulas to do all the calculations again based on the looking up the table of raw data sitting at the top of the Source. Quite a time-consuming job

    How about building in a few automatic checks to highlight any unwanted modifications since the last version
    eg - this tells you if year 2012 is no longer on row 183
    Formula: copy to clipboard
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    I suppose you could make the formula a bit more robust
    eg
    Formula: copy to clipboard
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    is the same as
    Formula: copy to clipboard
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    where Source!A1:Y214 is the Source table , and cell AA1 (in Formulas) holds value 185 ( = row number for Year 2014)
    If an extra row was inserted in Source you would then only have to change one value for each year and all the formulas would be updated
    But of course you would have to alter all your formulas in the first place (fairly quick with VBA)

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    Re: Lookups between disparate data tables

    On the "Is it worth the effort", the report goes to the State Legislature, so has to be accurate. If the rows move, or the columns move, values will still fill in, but they'll be the wrong values. So yes, it's worth the effort.

    I like the check for added/misplaced rows:
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    I suppose I could do something similar to check for column movements. That would at least alert me that there's a problem.

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    Re: Lookups between disparate data tables

    Look at this formula:

    in B6 of "Formulas"

    =INDEX(Source!$A$183:$Y$214,MATCH(A6,Source!$A$183:$A$193,0),9)

    Copy down

    NOTE: the entries in column A would need to be changed to remove the blank so they match with "Source" e.g. fy2014

    For other columns you only need change the column reference (9 above = column I)

    See attached for sample in I16 of "Formulas"
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    Re: Lookups between disparate data tables

    John,

    I don't really, in this situation, see the benefit of the Index/Match solution over a simple VLookup. The problem with both is that you have to know the row range where the data is sitting, and you have to know in which column each discreet piece of information resides.

    I'm beginning to think a VBA solution might work best for me. I think it'll work if I first make copy of "Source" and:
    1) Look from the top of the Source sheet down, and delete everything after the first blank line
    2) Determine my range size
    3) in Row 2, Unmerge all cells
    4) In Row 2, fill all blank cells with the value of the cell to the left, replacing "State Paid" with "Non- IV-E"
    5) In row 1, concatenate Row 2 and Row 3
    6) In column A, replace the date with the Fiscal Year

    Then I could do SumIFs to bring in all my data, and I wouldn't have to be dependent on my rows and columns. Does that sound like it'll work?

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    Re: Lookups between disparate data tables

    If you can arrange the data so that any data can be identified by row/column headings then YES this will work well.

    My own response illustrated that with the inconsistency of the "Year" titles. I looked at using column headings but it was reluctant to suggest wholesale changes to the of "source" layout.

    Many problems result from poorly designed "databases" in Excel: I note your proposal to unmerge cells - merged cells should be avoided as they cause many problems.

    INDEX/MATCH is (i believe) more efficient than VLOOKUP but for small data volumes any difference will be marginal.

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    Re: Lookups between disparate data tables

    Quote Originally Posted by JohnTopley View Post
    INDEX/MATCH is (i believe) more efficient than VLOOKUP
    They're pretty much the same but INDEX/MATCH is more versatile.
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    Re: Lookups between disparate data tables

    John Topley,

    I echo your comment about "merged cells should be avoided". However, as I stated at the beginning, "Source" (where the merged cells are) comes from another entity. I have no control over whether they use merged cells or not. My heartache is getting the data from the format they send to the format I need.

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    Re: Lookups between disparate data tables

    Is your problem that
    - the data is in the wrong shape?
    OR
    - fear of someone moving something in the source?

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    Re: Lookups between disparate data tables

    Problem is:
    A) Data from Source group is in the wrong shape for an easy lookup and
    B) Source group may at any time change the layout of the data, making it better or worse. I have no control over what source group does, and they LIKE to use merged cells.

    I inherited the "Formulas" tab from a predecessor; I'm only going to be involved for a couple of months, whereupon I'll pass it to my predecessor's replacement. I'd rather pass on a more robust system.

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    Re: Lookups between disparate data tables

    Give example(s) of the changes that occur in "SOURCE".

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