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Help with Large Functions

  1. #1
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    Wink Help with Large Functions

    Hey guys! At work, I've got an issue with Large functions here that I could really use help on. I'll try to explain as best as I can.

    So my data isn't exactly this, but it follows the same basic patterns:

    Column A Column B
    Steve 5
    Bob 8
    Dan 5
    Maria 3

    What I'm doing is using a Lookup function that finds the largest value, and then reports the associated name. For instance, for the largest value, it would find the number eight and report the name Bob. I have this part down. My problem is when I use the second and third largest values, using the formulas (LARGE(B2:B5,2)) and (LARGE(B2:B5,3)). Whenever I do this, it reports the name Steve for both. Since 5 is both the second and third largest values, it just takes Steve's name for both since he comes first. If I skip and enter (LARGE(B2:B5,4)), it just outputs Maria's name. I need a way to output Dan's name for the third largest value; perhaps by somehow excluding Steve's name from the formula.

    Any help is massively appreciated.
    Last edited by Totoro318; 01-18-2013 at 04:38 PM.

  2. #2
    Forum Expert Ron Coderre's Avatar
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    Re: Help with Large Functions

    With your sample data A2:B5
    This regular formula begins the list of names associated with the n-th largest Col_B values
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    Copy that formula down through D5

    With that data, these will be the results:
    Bob
    Steve
    Dan
    Maria

    Is that something you can work with?
    Ron
    Former Microsoft MVP - Excel (2006 - 2015)
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  3. #3
    Forum Expert Tsjallie's Avatar
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    Re: Help with Large Functions

    When you're using the result for a lookup then you would need a unique key.
    In this case 5 is a duplicate key. Therefor it's unreliable.
    Cheers!
    Tsjallie




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  4. #4
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    Re: Help with Large Functions

    Thank you Rob! This looks great, thanks for the time. I'm just wondering how to update this in a situation where I have twenty or more rows of data.

  5. #5
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    Re: Help with Large Functions

    Nevermind, figured it out. This'll do the trick, thanks!

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