Vlookup array multiple columns

Question

Excel wiz's,

I'm trying to build a report with a simple drop down list of names. Rather than try to explain in more detail, let me give you a sample dataset:

Table1:

    Text                                Person1          Person2          Person3
    String here contains name(s)        Mike Smith       Robert Johnson   Suzy Q
    Another string with name(s)         Dan Boy          John Michael     Bob Wise
    Different string with name(s)       Robert Johnson   Suzy Q           

In my report sheet, I have a drop down list of all the possible "persons" that I want to chose from and then return all values from the "Text" column in an array. I have been able to make it work with only one column using this formula, where C4 contains my choice in the dropdown list:

INDEX(Table1[#All],SMALL(IF(Table1[Person1]=$C$4,ROW(Table1[Person1])),ROW(1:1)),1)

The text column will contain all the names of the Person columns, but they are in a different case (all caps, can't change format for display purposes). Maybe a SEARCH function would be more useful? I'm not sure. I'm trying to avoid using a macro, but I am not completely opposed.

Let me know what you guys think, and thanks in advance!

Answer 1

Simply re-organize your table so that there's one row per name... the V-Lookup on the name and get the matching list.

Person          Text                               
Mike Smith      String with names
Robert Johnson  String with names
Suzy Q          String with names
Dan Boy         Second string with names

Answer 2

are you trying to make validations for teams? like select team, then next drop down gives only members of that team?

you can use offset inside validation. in one cell put a validation for the list of teams. in the other cell, create a list validation, use a offset formula to return the range of members based on the selected team.

edit: not sure how to put in a table, but this is how you would fill a range with vlookup

• in the table with the entries, add a column with serial number starting from 1-n

• just below the drop down box, enter numbers 1 to n in order

• vlookup the serial number in the table, that is the row you are looking up

• for the column, use a match to look in the table which column the current selected person is

• drag the formula down to fill n numbers