Excel Spreadsheet

TrayC1201 

Here's how you can pull data from Spreadsheet 2 (S2) to Spreadsheet 1 (S1) without rearranging data in the comments column, using a step-by-step approach:

Method 1: Using the INDEX & MATCH functions

This method is flexible and allows you to extract specific data based on matching criteria.

Steps:

1. Identify the data you want to extract: Decide which columns in S2 contain the data you need and which column in S1 you want to place it.
2. Choose a unique identifier: Identify a column in both S1 and S2 that has unique values for each row. This will be used for matching purposes.
3. In S1, enter the formula: In the cell where you want the extracted data to appear, type the following formula:

=INDEX(S2:S2[Number of columns in S2 to extract], MATCH(S1[Unique identifier column], S2[Unique identifier column], 0))

Explanation:

• INDEX(S2:S2[Number of columns in S2 to extract]): This part specifies the range of data you want to extract from S2. Adjust the number of columns based on your needs.
• MATCH(S1[Unique identifier column], S2[Unique identifier column], 0): This part finds the row in S2 that matches the current row in S1 based on the unique identifier. The 0 specifies an exact match.

Example:

Suppose you want to extract data from columns B and C in S2 based on a unique identifier in column A of both spreadsheets. The formula would be:

=INDEX(S2:C2, MATCH(A1, S2:A2, 0))

This formula will extract the data from the corresponding row in S2 based on the value in cell A1 of S1.

Method 2: Using the XLOOKUP function (Excel 365 only)

This method is newer and offers a simpler syntax for extracting data.

Steps:

1. Identify the data you want to extract: Similar to method 1, decide which columns in S2 contain the data and where you want to place it in S1.
2. Choose a unique identifier: Identify a column in both S1 and S2 that has unique values for each row.
3. In S1, enter the formula: In the cell where you want the extracted data to appear, type the following formula:

=XLOOKUP(S1[Unique identifier column], S2[Unique identifier column], S2:S2[Number of columns in S2 to extract])

Explanation:

• XLOOKUP(S1[Unique identifier column], S2[Unique identifier column], S2:S2[Number of columns in S2 to extract]): This formula directly searches for the matching value in S2 based on the unique identifier and returns the corresponding data from the specified columns.

Example:

Similar to the previous example, the formula would be:

=XLOOKUP(A1, S2:A2, S2:C2)

This formula will extract the data from columns B and C in S2 based on the value in cell A1 of S1.

Additional notes:

• Both methods will automatically update the extracted data whenever the source data in S2 changes.
• You can copy the formula down to other cells in S1 to extract data for multiple rows.
• If the comments column is in S2, make sure to exclude it when specifying the range of data to extract in the formulas.

Remember to adjust the formulas and cell references based on your specific spreadsheet layout and data needs.

I hope this step-by-step explanation helps!