Sorting and COUNTIF

[RJB]

This may be a double post; apologies.

This problem seems to happen only when my RANGE is on a different worksheet
than my CRITERIA.

When I run a COUNTIF, if I sort the table, the criteria returns the count of
whatever is in the position of where the CURRENT criteria USED to be. I don't
want that. I never know how to explain relative and absolute references, so
let me give you an example.

Sheet 2 has an inventory of four items: Hard-boiled eggs, oil filters, Jonas
Brothers posters, and dry-erase markers. For simplicity, let's call it "Sheet
2! Range".

I do a physical count of my inventory and I know I have 12 eggs, 9 filters,
23 posters, and 15 dry-erase markers.

On Sheet 1, I list my items in column A:

A2=Jonas Bros. posters
A3=Dry-Erase markers
A4=Hard-boiled eggs
A5=Oil filters

Column B has my count formula:
B2=COUNTIF(Sheet2!Range,Sheet1!A2)
B3=COUNTIF(Sheet2!Range,Sheet1!A3)
B4=COUNTIF(Sheet2!Range,Sheet1!A4)
B5=COUNTIF(Sheet2!Range,Sheet1!A5)

So this returns:
Jonas Bros. Posters | 23
Dry-Erase Markers | 15
Hard-Boiled Eggs | 12
Oil filters | 9

OK so far.

But what if I want to alphabetize my list?

So when I sort, I get:
Dry-Erase Markers | 12
Hard-Boiled Eggs | 23
Jonas Bros. Posters | 15
Oil filters | 9

What the what? What it's done is, B2 now says, "Hey, A2 has 'Dry Erase
Markers'. That USED to be in A3. So I'll count what's in A3 - which happens
to be 'Eggs'. So I will count the quantity of the value in 3 and return it in
2." And so on

So now my data looks like this:

A2=Dry-Erase Markers
A3=Hard-Boiled Eggs
A4=Jonas Bros. Posters
A5=Oil filters

B2=COUNTIF(Sheet2!Range,Sheet1!A3)
B3=COUNTIF(Sheet2!Range,Sheet1!A4)
B4=COUNTIF(Sheet2!Range,Sheet1!A2)
B5=COUNTIF(Sheet2!Range,Sheet1!A5)

I need to be able to sort AND count the values.

What to do what to do?

Thanks!

 

[Pete_UK]

I can see that you have posted 4 times to this group - please stop !!

Sort the values in column A (only), rather than including the formula
column (B) in your sort range.

Hope this helps.

Pete

 

[RJB]

OK, well I started with a "This may have double posted" apology, so,
you know, you didn't have to lead with the rebuke... CLEARLY something
wasn't working correctly, or I wouldn't have said it, you know?

Anyway:

How can you sort PART of a table without sorting the REST of the
table?

If I read you right, you're saying to only sort column A. But I need
the functionality to be able to sort on B (and C, D, and E).

Thanks

 

[JLatham]

The other response, from Pete_UK will work, alternatively you can remove the
sheet reference to the criteria in your formula:
B2=COUNTIF(Sheet2!Range,A2)
B3=COUNTIF(Sheet2!Range,A3)
B4=COUNTIF(Sheet2!Range,A4)
B5=COUNTIF(Sheet2!Range,A5)

and sort by both columns and it'll still work.

 

[RJB]

The other response, from Pete_UK will work, alternatively you can remove the
sheet reference to the criteria in your formula:
B2=COUNTIF(Sheet2!Range,A2)
B3=COUNTIF(Sheet2!Range,A3)
B4=COUNTIF(Sheet2!Range,A4)
B5=COUNTIF(Sheet2!Range,A5)

and sort by both columns and it'll still work.  

I still don't understand Pete's solution, but yours worked fine. The
only reason why Sheet1! was in there is because XL "forced" it on me;
I can't even fathom why that made a difference, but it did.

Thank you.

 

[JLatham]

Excel seems to think that if there's a sheet reference, even to the current
sheet, that it should keep the cell references as they were, treating them as
absolute for situations like this.

 

[RJB]

That I would have understood, but it does a double-shuffle, which is
what I don't get.

I guess it doesn't matter why, I have a solution.