Tie Breaker

**allnet000** · 02-10-2010, 10:43 PM

I have read a lot of posts about tie breakers and using "Composite scores" and "helper columns" to sort out the winner. They make sense, but the problem I have is when you are working with 3 or more tie breaker elements .

Example - Two players are tied with their point total. After the first tie breaker player 2 wins. It should stop right there, but with the composite scoring, it tallies the 2, 3 and 4 tie breakers. So in theory, a player that does better in tie breaker 2, 3, or 4 could place higher even though they lost the main tie breaker.

I have tried placing weight values of significance with each tie breaker, but it still comes up with the same possibility.

Is there a way to stop the formula after the first tie breaker if it generates a winner, then if still tied go to second tie breaker, etc?

Thank you for your help.

**JBeaucaire** · 02-10-2010, 11:23 PM

Here's how I do it. I create a precision decimal value from all the tie-breaker values. I default to two-digits for each value, you would have to adapt if any of your values are greater than 2 digits. My technique would work for your scenario.

Look in this folder:
Jerry Beaucaire's Excel Tools

(the file you want is Rank-TieBreaking.xls)

Check it out. The magic is happening in column H on the PreferredMethod sheet.

**allnet000** · 02-11-2010, 09:07 AM

Thanks Jerry. I will apply your approach to my spreadsheet and let you know if it is successful. Thanks.

**JBeaucaire** · 02-11-2010, 10:36 AM

If that takes care of your need, be sure to EDIT your original post, click Go Advanced and mark the PREFIX box [SOLVED].

(Also, use the blue "scales" icon in our posts to leave Reputation Feedback, it is appreciated. It is found across from the "time" in each of our posts.)

**allnet000** · 02-11-2010, 02:52 PM

Jerry,

I used your formula and notice a discrepency. In the attached example, Name 6 should be in first place but is coming in 2nd place. Do you know why this would happen?

I have attached the file for your reference.

**JBeaucaire** · 02-11-2010, 03:14 PM

I warned you that you had to know the maximum # of digits for each column. See the notes on the sheet in red text?

When you change to 3 digits in column C and column F, you need to adjust that part of the KEY formula to "000".

Based on those instructions, your first formula in I2 would be:

=(B2&"."&TEXT(C2,"000")&D2&E2&TEXT(F2,"000")&G2&H2)+0