Cannot implement INDIRECT() within an array formula

Question

I have a sheet named Finder at which I created a tool to search in other sheets (named #1, #2, etc). The problem I encountered with is that I can't use the INDIRECT function in some cases as described below:

 { = IF(Finder!$B$4 = 1,
        INDEX(INDIRECT("'#" & (ROW() - 5) & IF(MOD(COLUMN(), 3) = 0, "'!$A$2:$A$100", "'!$B$2:$B$100")),
              SMALL(IF(ISERROR(SEARCH(Finder!$F$4, '#1'!$B$2:$B$100)),
                       "",
                       ROW(INDIRECT("'#" & (ROW() - 5) & "'!$B$2:$B$100")) - MIN(ROW(INDIRECT("'#" & (ROW() - 5) & "'!$B$2:$B$100"))) + 1),
                    INT(COLUMN() / 3)),
              1),
        IF(Finder!$B$4 = 2,
           INDEX(INDIRECT("'#" & (ROW() - 5) & "'!" & IF(MOD(COLUMN(), 3) = 0, "$A$2:$A$100", "$B$2:$B$100")),
                 SMALL(IF(Finder!$F$4 = '#1'!$B$2:$B$100,
                          ROW(INDIRECT("'#" & (ROW() - 5) & "'!$B$2:$B$100")) - MIN(ROW(INDIRECT("'#" & (ROW() - 5) & "'!$B$2:$B$100"))) + 1,
                          ""),
                       INT(COLUMN() / 3)),
                 1),... }

Conceptual form:

 { = IF(Finder!$B$4 = 1,
        INDEX(using INDIRECT to address a range in another sheet successfully,
              SMALL(IF(ISERROR(SEARCH(cannot use INDIRECT here!)),
                       "",
                       Desired value),
                    Desired item),
              1),
        IF(Finder!$B$4 = 2,
           INDEX(using INDIRECT to address a range in another sheet successfully,
                 SMALL(IF(cannot use INDIRECT here!,
                          Desired value,
                          ""),
                       Desired item),
                 1),... }

I need to address a range in another sheets like below:

SMALL(IF(ISERROR(SEARCH(Finder!$F$4, '#1'!$B$2:$B$100)),...

SMALL(IF(Finder!$F$4 = '#1'!$B$2:$B$100,...

it's OK, but I can't use INDIRECT to make the formula dynamic:

SMALL(IF(ISERROR(SEARCH(Finder!$F$4, INDIRECT("'#" & (ROW() - 5) & "'!$B$2:$B$100"))),...

SMALL(IF(Finder!$F$4 = INDIRECT("'#" & (ROW() - 5) & "'!$B$2:$B$100"),...

Thanks in advance

---

UPDATE:

The Finder tool contains many cells. The picture shows why I need to obtain a sheet name using ROW() function.

UPDATE 2:

The combobox in the Finder sheet has four items and uses $B$4 cell:

1- Approximate Search

2- Exact Search

3- Full Index

4- Specific Category

Here is the full code of the formula:

= IF(ISERROR(IF(Finder!$B$4 = 1,
                INDEX(INDIRECT("'#" & (ROW() - 5) & IF(MOD(COLUMN(), 3) = 0, "'!$A$2:$A$100", "'!$B$2:$B$100")),
                      SMALL(IF(ISERROR(SEARCH(Finder!$F$4, '#1'!$B$2:$B$100)),
                               "",
                               ROW(INDIRECT("'#" & (ROW() - 5) & "'!$B$2:$B$100")) - MIN(ROW(INDIRECT("'#" & (ROW() - 5) & "'!$B$2:$B$100"))) + 1),
                            INT(COLUMN() / 3)),
                      1),
                IF(Finder!$B$4 = 2,
                   INDEX(INDIRECT("'#" & (ROW() - 5) & "'!" & IF(MOD(COLUMN(), 3) = 0, "$A$2:$A$100", "$B$2:$B$100")),
                         SMALL(IF(Finder!$F$4 = '#1'!$B$2:$B$100,
                                  ROW(INDIRECT("'#" & (ROW() - 5) & "'!$B$2:$B$100")) - MIN(ROW(INDIRECT("'#" & (ROW() - 5) & "'!$B$2:$B$100"))) + 1,
                                  ""),
                               INT(COLUMN() / 3)),
                         1),
                   IF(Finder!$B$4 = 3,
                      IF(MOD(COLUMN(), 3) = 0,
                         20 * (ROW() - 6) + COLUMN() / 3,
                         INDIRECT(ADDRESS(INT(COLUMN() / 3) + 1, 2, 1, , "#" & (ROW() - 5)))),
                      INDEX(INDIRECT("'#" & (ROW() - 5) & "'!" & IF(MOD(COLUMN(), 3) = 0, "$A$2:$A$100", "$B$2:$B$100")),
                            SMALL(IF(Finder!$F$4 = '#1'!$I$2:$I$100,
                                     ROW(INDIRECT("'#" & (ROW() - 5) & "'!$B$2:$B$100")) - MIN(ROW(INDIRECT("'#" & (ROW() - 5) & "'!$B$2:$B$100"))) + 1,
                                     IF(ISERROR(SEARCH(Finder!$F$4 & ",", '#1'!$I$2:$I$100)),
                                        IF(ISERROR(SEARCH("," & Finder!$F$4, '#1'!$I$2:$I$100)),
                                           IF(ISERROR(SEARCH(", " & Finder!$F$4, '#1'!$I$2:$I$100)),
                                              "",
                                              ROW(INDIRECT("'#" & (ROW() - 5) & "'!$B$2:$B$100")) - MIN(ROW(INDIRECT("'#" & (ROW() - 5) & "'!$B$2:$B$100"))) + 1),
                                           ROW(INDIRECT("'#" & (ROW() - 5) & "'!$B$2:$B$100")) - MIN(ROW(INDIRECT("'#" & (ROW() - 5) & "'!$B$2:$B$100"))) + 1),
                                        ROW(INDIRECT("'#" & (ROW() - 5) & "'!$B$2:$B$100")) - MIN(ROW(INDIRECT("'#" & (ROW() - 5) & "'!$B$2:$B$100"))) + 1)),
                                  INT(COLUMN() / 3)),
                            1))))),
     " ",
     IF(Finder!$B$4 = 1,
        INDEX(INDIRECT("'#" & (ROW() - 5) & IF(MOD(COLUMN(), 3) = 0, "'!$A$2:$A$100", "'!$B$2:$B$100")),
              SMALL(IF(ISERROR(SEARCH(Finder!$F$4, '#1'!$B$2:$B$100)),
                       "",
                       ROW(INDIRECT("'#" & (ROW() - 5) & "'!$B$2:$B$100")) - MIN(ROW(INDIRECT("'#" & (ROW() - 5) & "'!$B$2:$B$100"))) + 1),
                    INT(COLUMN() / 3)),
              1),
        IF(Finder!$B$4 = 2,
           INDEX(INDIRECT("'#" & (ROW() - 5) & "'!" & IF(MOD(COLUMN(), 3) = 0, "$A$2:$A$100", "$B$2:$B$100")),
                 SMALL(IF(Finder!$F$4 = '#1'!$B$2:$B$100,
                          ROW(INDIRECT("'#" & (ROW() - 5) & "'!$B$2:$B$100")) - MIN(ROW(INDIRECT("'#" & (ROW() - 5) & "'!$B$2:$B$100"))) + 1,
                          ""),
                       INT(COLUMN() / 3)),
                 1),
           IF(Finder!$B$4 = 3,
              IF(MOD(COLUMN(), 3) = 0,
                 20 * (ROW() - 6) + COLUMN() / 3,
                 INDIRECT(ADDRESS(INT(COLUMN() / 3) + 1, 2, 1, , "#" & (ROW() - 5)))),
              INDEX(INDIRECT("'#" & (ROW() - 5) & "'!" & IF(MOD(COLUMN(), 3) = 0, "$A$2:$A$100", "$B$2:$B$100")),
                    SMALL(IF(Finder!$F$4 = '#1'!$I$2:$I$100,
                             ROW(INDIRECT("'#" & (ROW() - 5) & "'!$B$2:$B$100")) - MIN(ROW(INDIRECT("'#" & (ROW() - 5) & "'!$B$2:$B$100"))) + 1,
                             IF(ISERROR(SEARCH(Finder!$F$4 & ",", '#1'!$I$2:$I$100)),
                                IF(ISERROR(SEARCH("," & Finder!$F$4, '#1'!$I$2:$I$100)),
                                   IF(ISERROR(SEARCH(", " & Finder!$F$4, '#1'!$I$2:$I$100)),
                                      "",
                                      ROW(INDIRECT("'#" & (ROW() - 5) & "'!$B$2:$B$100")) - MIN(ROW(INDIRECT("'#" & (ROW() - 5) & "'!$B$2:$B$100"))) + 1),
                                   ROW(INDIRECT("'#" & (ROW() - 5) & "'!$B$2:$B$100")) - MIN(ROW(INDIRECT("'#" & (ROW() - 5) & "'!$B$2:$B$100"))) + 1),
                                ROW(INDIRECT("'#" & (ROW() - 5) & "'!$B$2:$B$100")) - MIN(ROW(INDIRECT("'#" & (ROW() - 5) & "'!$B$2:$B$100"))) + 1)),
                          INT(COLUMN() / 3)),
                    1)))))

Answer 1

The problem is caused by use of ROW and COLUMN functions. These functions return "arrays" even when only a single value, e.g. {1} rather than 1. In some contexts that's not an issue but in other cases (like here), excel has a problem converting {1} to 1 and the formulas don't work.

One possible solution is to enclose all ROW and COLUMN functions in a function like MAX or SUM which will convert for you, e.g. instead of

ROW() - 5

use

SUM(ROW()) - 5

but a better way (and the one I recommend) is to use ROWS or COLUMNS functions (with "S" on the end), so if first formula is in Z6 use

ROWS($Z$6:Z6) or COLUMNS($Z$6:Z6)

those will both give you a value of 1 in Z6 itself but as you copy down or across they will increment by 1 each time (and they don't suffer the same drawback as ROW and COLUMN). This is a better solution anyway as it does away with your -5s and it's less susceptible to error should you delete or add rows or columns