Variables in formulas

[build]

G'day All,
Is it possible to use variables in formulas without storing them in a cell?

i.e. (a simplified example)
VarA=SUMIF(A:A,Y:Y,X:X)
VarB=SUMIF(A:A,Y:Y,W:W)
IF(B:B<VarA,VarA,VarB)

looks a lot better than
IF(B:B<SUMIF(A:A,Y:Y,X:X),SUMIF(A:A,Y:Y,X:X),SUMIF(A:A,Y:Y,W:W))

The formula I have is too long and complex therefor would be a nightmare to
trouble shoot a year down the track. Also storing the variables in a cell
seems sloppy to me.

 

[Barb Reinhardt]

Have you thought about storing them as a named range?

http://www.cpearson.com/excel/named.htm

Scroll down to the Naming Formulas section.

 

[build]

Thanks Barb, exactly what I want!

I should have looked at Chips site (www.cpearson.com) but it's been quite a
while since I've used excel and it inexplicably slipped my mind. For anyone
else reading this who is not familar with Chips site, I strongly recommend a
visit it is an extremely useful place with some bloody clever stuff.

Does Chip still post to these groups?
What about Thomas? Another very clever bloke!

cheers,
build

 

[Chip Pearson]

Does Chip still post to these groups?

Indeed I do.


--
Cordially,
Chip Pearson
Microsoft MVP - Excel, 10 Years
Pearson Software Consulting
www.cpearson.com
(email on the web site)

 

[Gord Dibben]

Thomas Ramel?

Still active in European groups. Mainly German groups.


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

 

[build]

LOL
G'day Chip,
You must be grey or bald or both by now I'm pure white and rather thin
on top and in the top too.
I guess you'd like a cent for every question you've answered on these
groups, huh?
My offer still stands to buy you a meal and a beer or 50 if your ever
downunder in gods own country and that offer goes to Thomas if he's still
around (is he?)

From memory your west coast? if not are you near Indy? I get there once a
year but never have much time to spare.

cheers,
build

 

[build]

Damn, this is confusing me and I think it's the references absolute/relative
stuff etc?

I have a function =SUMIF(AA:AA,A:A,Z:Z) ... works well when used in for
example
=IF(SUMIF(AA:AA,A:A,Z:Z)=1,10,IF(SUMIF(AA:AA,A:A,Z:Z)=2,5,0))
but when I name it.
Qual_Pos
=SUMIF($A$A:$AA,$A:A,$Z:$Z)
it is changed to:
=SUMIF('1-Australia'!$AA:$AA,'1-Australia'!$A:$A,'1-Australia'!$Z:$Z)
when i try:
=IF(Qual_Pos=1,10,IF(Qual_Pos=2,5,0))
it does not give the expected result.
I've tried:
=SUMIF(AA:AA,A:A,Z:Z)
and other variations.
What am I missing?
Also I think I'd rather a relative reference as I'm still building the
workbook and inserting and deleting columns.

again Thanking you in anticipation,
build

 

[build]

Ahhhhaaaaaaa
from http://www.cpearson.com/excel/named.htm "They do not depend on the cell
from which the name is invoked. " ... Hmmm If they do not depend on the cell
from which the name is invoked then is it possible to have a reference for a
LOOKUP or SUMIF?

Now I'm really confused.

 

[build]

OK finally got my head around it.
But I'm not going to try to confuse someone reading this with a clumsy
explaination, they'll hopefully understand and interpret the solution to my
problem which was:
=SUMIF($AA:$AA,$A3,$Z:$Z)
regards,
build

 

[kmmg72]

=SUMIF($AA:$AA,$A3,$Z:$Z)

this is exactly the same formula I have used on an excel 2003 sheet for
years. However it does not work when I open the same worksheet in excel 2007.
It just returns 0.
Cannot work out why.
I've tried formatting the cells differently, using tables, names etc what am
I doing wrong?