Random Item

I have searched for a previous post regarding this problem, but came up with nothing all that useful.

Problem: I need to generate a random item from a list.

I.E.: A1 = alpha
A2 = beta
A3 = gamma
etc.

B1 = RANDOM choice of alpha, beta, or gamma


Any help?

Another option, placed in any cell:
=INDEX({"alpha";"beta";"gamma"},randbetween(1,3))

(adjust the "3" to be equal to the number of items)

Press F9 to regenerate

Note that Randbetween requires the Analysis Toolpak be installed and enabled
(via Tools > Add-Ins)
--
Max
Singapore
http://savefile.com/projects/236895
xdemechanik
---
"capnsean" <[email protected]> wrote in
message news:[email protected]...
>
> I -have- searched for a previous post regarding this problem, but came
> up with nothing all that useful.
>
> Problem: I need to generate a random item from a list.
>
> I.E.: A1 = alpha
> A2 = beta
> A3 = gamma
> etc.
>
> B1 = RANDOM choice of alpha, beta, or gamma
>
>
> Any help?
>
>
> --
> capnsean
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> capnsean's Profile:
http://www.excelforum.com/member.php...o&userid=25049
> View this thread: http://www.excelforum.com/showthread...hreadid=508974
>

If the items are listed within a defined range named "Items",
an alternative to use (in any cell) would be:
=INDEX(Items,randbetween(1,COUNTA(Items)))
--
Max
Singapore
http://savefile.com/projects/236895
xdemechanik
---

sorry to be a pain, but how does one define a range?

RANDBETWEEN requires the analysis tookpak be installed. You can just use
the built in rand


= OFFSET(A1,Trunc(RAND()*3),0)

=Index(A1:A3,Trunc(rand()*CountA(A1:A3)+1),1)


--
Regards,
Tom Ogilvy


"capnsean" <[email protected]> wrote in
message news:[email protected]...
>
> I -have- searched for a previous post regarding this problem, but came
> up with nothing all that useful.
>
> Problem: I need to generate a random item from a list.
>
> I.E.: A1 = alpha
> A2 = beta
> A3 = gamma
> etc.
>
> B1 = RANDOM choice of alpha, beta, or gamma
>
>
> Any help?
>
>
> --
> capnsean
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> capnsean's Profile:
http://www.excelforum.com/member.php...o&userid=25049
> View this thread: http://www.excelforum.com/showthread...hreadid=508974
>

I defined the group, and tried this

=INDEX(Items,randbetween(1,COUNTA(Items)))

function, to no avail...
I'm getting the ol' #Name?

Nevermind - issue resolved

Muchas gracias

In B1 enter =RAND() and copy down to B3.

Then sort columns A&B by B; this will "shuffle" the order of the items in A.

Pick the first item in column A
--
Gary''s Student


"capnsean" wrote:

>
> I -have- searched for a previous post regarding this problem, but came
> up with nothing all that useful.
>
> Problem: I need to generate a random item from a list.
>
> I.E.: A1 = alpha
> A2 = beta
> A3 = gamma
> etc.
>
> B1 = RANDOM choice of alpha, beta, or gamma
>
>
> Any help?
>
>
> --
> capnsean
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> capnsean's Profile: http://www.excelforum.com/member.php...o&userid=25049
> View this thread: http://www.excelforum.com/showthread...hreadid=508974
>
>

Glad to hear that !
--
Max
Singapore
http://savefile.com/projects/236895
xdemechanik
---
"capnsean" <[email protected]> wrote in
message news:[email protected]...
>
> Nevermind - issue resolved
>
> Muchas gracias