Referring to a cell by using another cell for the row number

[David Tannenbaum]

On one tab I have data that looks like this:

8/1/2012
1 29381
2 2423

8/2/2012
5 23231
8 7542

On the second tab I would like to automatically pull this data depending on what today's date is.

So, for example, I would like to do a VLOOKUP for "1" on 8/1/2012.

So on the second tab, in A1, I have created a formula to tell me what row to start my VLOOKUP on:
=MATCH(D3,'DT''s raw data'!A:A,0)+1

(Here "D3" is :"8/1/12"). This returns "2'. I have also created a formula, in A2, that tells me where to end my VLOOKUP for 8/1/12:

=MATCH(E3,'DT''s raw data'!A:A,0)-1

This returns "3".

Now I would like to write the VLOOKUP so it pulls from A2:B3 on the second tab. Something like this:

=vlookup(1,FirstTab!A[A1]:B[A2],2,false)

Obviously that "A[A1]" and "B[A2]" isn't working. Any way I can make it work?

 

[David Tannenbaum]

Here is a simpler way to ask this.

On TabOne I have the value "35" in A1.

On TabTwo I have the value "A1" written into B1.

On TabTwo I now want to call up the value in TabOne!A1 by referring to TabTwo!B1. So it would be something like this:

TabOne!(TabTwo!B1)

But that doesn't work, of course.

 

[zvkmpw]

8/1/2012
1 29381
2 2423

8/2/2012
5 23231
8 7542

On the second tab I would like to automatically pull this data
depending on what today's date is.

So, for example, I would like to do a VLOOKUP for "1" on 8/1/2012.

So on the second tab, in A1, I have created a formula to tell me what
row to start my VLOOKUP on.

I have also created a formula, in A2, that tells me where to end
my VLOOKUP

Now I would like to write the VLOOKUP so it pulls from A2:B3 on the
second tab.

Maybe this would help get started:
=VLOOKUP(1,OFFSET(FirstTab!$A$1,$A$1-1,0,$A$2-$A$1+1,2),1,FALSE)
to pull column A, and
=VLOOKUP(1,OFFSET(FirstTab!$A$1,$A$1-1,0,$A$2-$A$1+1,2),2,FALSE)
to pull column B.

 

[David Tannenbaum]

zvkmpw, that's a helpful suggestion, but unfortunately it doesn't solve my problem, because every day I would like to pull values from a different setof rows. I can't predict in advance which rows those will be, but I do have a formula to calculate the rows. So I need a way to reference that formula.

 

[zvkmpw]

zvkmpw, that's a helpful suggestion, but unfortunately it doesn't solve my

problem, because every day I would like to pull values from a different set
of rows. I can't predict in advance which rows those will be, but I do have a
formula to calculate the rows. So I need a way to reference that formula.

OK, try this in a new tab, Sheet2

In Sheet2!A1, put a formula that returns the _FIRST_ row number of the range in FirstTab to be searched. The formula can take into account a date and/or other values.

In Sheet2!A2, put a formula that returns the _LAST_ row number of the range in FirstTab to be searched. The formula can take into account a date and/or other values.

In Sheet2!B1 put the value to be looked up in columnn A of FirstTab.

In Sheet2!B2, put
=VLOOKUP(B1,OFFSET(FirstTab!$A$1,$A$1-1,0,$A$2-$A$1+1,2),2,FALSE)
Hopefully, this does the needed lookup.

Explanation: The OFFSET(...) here returns a two-column sub-range inside FirstTab!A:B, limited by the row numbers computed in Sheet2!A1 and Sheet2!A2.

Modify or expand as needed.

 

[zvkmpw]

Explanation: The OFFSET(...) here returns a two-column sub-range inside

FirstTab!A:B, limited by the row numbers computed in Sheet2!A1 and Sheet2!A2.

I should add: By making the formulas in Sheet2 depend on TODAY(), the sub-range will depend on what today's date is.

 

[David Tannenbaum]

Amazing, thank you!!!