Setting a word I type and let excel pull up a range of dates

[Chowzz]

Hi all forum gurus,

I am very new to excel and I am wondering if this is possible.

I have a spreadsheet with plenty of data and the data is linked to bloomberg.

So i am trying to make a spreadsheet that is dynamic. How I want it to work is like this:

For example, I want to type in "C N3 Comdty" in a cell, which is the only cell that I need to input, and this acts as a command to input
a date range (say 1/5/2013 to 13//5/2013) into two separate cells say C1 (1/5/2013) and D1 (13/5/2013).

Can this be done? If possible, please teach me how to do it.

Million thanks in advance.

[FDibbins]

Hi and welcome to the forum

how will you know what dates you want to have shown?

You could probably do this with either a vlookup() - if you have a lot of variables to choose from - of with a simple =if(A1=C N3 Comdty,"1/5/2013,"")

Without seeing what you are working with, its a bit hard to say

[Chowzz]

Hi FDibbins,

I want it to be a set of fixed dates. For example, C N3 Comdty will always be 1/5/2013 to 13/5/2013 and C N4 Comdty will always be 1/5/2014 to 13/5/2014. I just want to say input "C N3 Comdty" into cell A1 for example, and it will populate 2 cells. i.e C 1 and D 1 with 1/5/2013 and 13/5/2013.

[FDibbins]

Take a look at the attached and see if that will work for you? I created a table M1:O3 for your text and dates
the yellow cell A2 has a drop-down based on the above table, so you dont have to type the text - and avoids typos
Click the small arrow, pick a text and the dates appear.
I left a blank at the top incase you dont want anything shown.
To extend the table on the right, enter/paste your additional data below what is already there, click on A2, then on the ribbon, select DATA/Data Validation/data validation and extend the range you see there
Hope this helps?

[Chowzz]

Exactly! This is what I need!!

OMG you are my saviour FD!

Thank you!

[FDibbins]

Happy to help and thanks for the feedback