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Charlotte Mcnamee's avatar
Charlotte Mcnamee
Copper Contributor
Nov 08, 2018

Index Match Error

I have an excel document with 20+ different tables. I would like my Excel formulas in my working sheet to find each table and then extract the data. 

 

=INDEX('[Inputs.xlsx]Table 1'!$A$1:$BV$10000, row_num, column_num) 

 

I have got row number and column number sorted but I would like to put a formula for the table array so that a specific table is found and data is extracted. 

Instead of the table array starting cell of A1 I would like to add a MATCH formula to find the specific row that the table header I want to match is in and start by array there. 

 

=MATCH(*$C1*, '[Inputs.xlsx]Table 1'!$A1:$A10000,0)

C1 is text and the table headers in the Input file contains some of the text in C1 hence a partial match. 

So I would like to place the match formula within the index formula but I have not had any luck. Any tips? Thanks!

 

INDEX('[Inputs.xlsx]Table 1'!$A$&MATCH(*$C1*, '[Inputs.xlsx]Table 1'!$A1:$A10000,0):$BV$10000, row_num, column_num) 

  • Hi Charlotte,

     

    You may use INDIRECT

    =INDEX(INDIRECT("'[Inputs.xlsx]Table 1'!$A$" & MATCH(...)), ..

    but it works if only your file is opened.

    Why don't you use Excel tables with structured references?

     

    • Charlotte Mcnamee's avatar
      Charlotte Mcnamee
      Copper Contributor

      Hello Sergei. 

       

      Now it says I have too many arguments for this function. Any work arounds for this? Thanks!

      • SergeiBaklan's avatar
        SergeiBaklan
        MVP

        I imitated on my file, formula looks like

        =INDEX(INDIRECT("'[Book1]Sheet1 plus'!$F$" & MATCH(C1,B1:B7,0) & ":$F$8"),3,0)

        your one shall have the same structure

         

    • Charlotte Mcnamee's avatar
      Charlotte Mcnamee
      Copper Contributor

      Thanks. I have not used structured references because I have about 100 input files (which change every year) and I want to avoid changing each one. 

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