Database Question

[FT OFFICE]

Good day.

Is there a way, in Excel, to assign an ID to a specific individual and then
track the individual by the ID rather than their position in a list?

I'll try to be clearer now...

I have a list of names that (employee list) that changes from week to week.
If I alphabetize the names, an individual will be in a different spot than
the previous week, making it impossible to simply track an individual by
their place in the list.

What I want to do is to be able to track an individual by an ID as opposed
to their place in the list.

I hope this is clear, I'm sure there is a very basic way of alleviating this
problem. I have many Excel books so I can learn whatever it is, I just need
to be pointed in the right direction.

-Thank you
-Rob

 

[J.E. McGimpsey]

Depending on how extensive what you mean by "tracking" is, you might
want to look at Tushar Mehta's Excel RDBMS tutorial:

http://www.tushar-mehta.com/excel/newsgroups/rdbms_in_excel/index.htm
l

(watch linewrap -the URL ends in "html")

 

[Pat Garard]

In Excel go to (say) Sheet 3.
Create a list (maybe 6 rows) of EmpID, Last Name, First Name etc etc
Select the complete list and give it a name - say 'Employees' (i.e. a named
range)
(See 'Name cells in a workbook' in Excel Help.)

Now go Sheet 1 and in a cell (say B2) type an employee ID that you have
used.
In C2 enter '=VLOOKUP(A2,Employees,2)' and the result will be the Last Name
of the person with ID in A2.

This is a basic lookup process (see also HLOOKUP) that allows retrieval in
one sheet
from a NAMED RANGE on a master sheet.

There are also other functions that may help

To achieve your goal, you will need to be clear on exactly what you are
trying to do,
design it on paper and then commit to Excel - much scratching of head, bum
and
anything else that helps!!

 

[Pat Garard]

In Excel go to (say) Sheet 3.
Create a list (maybe 6 rows) of EmpID, Last Name, First Name etc etc
Select the complete list and give it a name - say 'Employees' (i.e. a named
range)
(See 'Name cells in a workbook' in Excel Help.)

Now go Sheet 1 and in a cell (say B2) type an employee ID that you have
used.
In C2 enter '=VLOOKUP(B2,Employees,2)' and the result will be the Last Name
of the person with ID in B2.

This is a basic lookup process (see also HLOOKUP) that allows retrieval in
one sheet
from a NAMED RANGE on a master sheet.

There are also other functions that may help

To achieve your goal, you will need to be clear on exactly what you are
trying to do,
design it on paper and then commit to Excel - much scratching of head, bum
and
anything else that helps!!