match formula when first cell in search range is empty?

Question

is it possible to use an empty cell in a match formula?

I have a value in my cell A3. I want to search this value using 'match' in a matrix A4:A13 (or any other matrix). However, in this case, cell A4 is empty (I cannot help it, it is the way figures are returned from another program). To be able to search in this matrix I thought I could substitute the value in A3 with {empty}. substituting works. But then, the Match formula does not work.

The actual formula then would be:

=match("";A4:A13;0)

I cannot change the empty cell in my search range. That one is given. Is there something else I can do to make this work?

edit:

this is the objective of my document: I have a dashboard sheet on which figures presented. on this sheet, in column A there are first: account name, brand 1, brand 2, brand 3, brand 4, brand 5 (if applicable,), A.VOGEL, OTHER (result of account total minus the sum of all the brands).

So in this case, cells A3:A10. The figures come from a different sheet. This output is like: a1 = account name (other cells in this row are empty a2 = empty, b2 contains a value that cannot be used, c2 shows the brand name (and because in this case, it represents the account total and no brand, c2 is empty) and from D2 : L2, there are values, corresponding to the given value in a1. a3 = empty, b3 contains a value that cannot be used, c3 has the name of the brand and again, in D3: L3 there are the values.

See my example below:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jv8wvhtw0aa54dd/output%20sheet%201.png

and the dashboard sheet: https://www.dropbox.com/s/tgt7omkcytm7xef/DASHBOARD%20sheet%201.png

(and after this account 'nl food-drug' many other account will follow with the same structure).

given this structure, I am trying to create a formula which I can easily paste in every row in the dashboard sheet without being concerned my search matrix will be incorrect. I thought I was able to do this, but I got stuck.

I would like to have only one formula, which contains everything to have the complete search matrix for both the account total and the individual brands, but which also adjusts and refers to the right account. (so adjusts cell references correctly).

I had 2 different formulas which work: 1 for the account total and 1 for the brands. But I am sure there will be a mistake sometime when I copy paste these rows down the sheet. My formula always refers to the cell where the account name is in. In the example: A3. To always refer to the right cell I was trying the address, match, indirect formula's together. one formula which is working now: =ALS(ISFOUT(INDEX(INDIRECT(ADRES(VERGELIJKEN($A$3;'NIELSEN FD-omzet'!$A:$A;0)+2;4;1;1;"NIELSEN FD-omzet")&":"&ADRES(VERGELIJKEN($A$3;'NIELSEN FD-omzet'!$A:$A;0)+6;12;1;1;);WAAR);VERGELIJKEN($A4;INDIRECT(ADRES(VERGELIJKEN($A$3;'NIELSEN FD-omzet'!$A:$A;0)+2;3;1;1;"NIELSEN FD-OMZET")&":"&ADRES(VERGELIJKEN($A$3;'NIELSEN FD-omzet'!$A:$A;0)+7;3;1;1;));0);VERGELIJKEN(B$2;'NIELSEN FD-omzet'!$D$2:$L$2;0)));"";INDEX(INDIRECT(ADRES(VERGELIJKEN($A$3;'NIELSEN FD-omzet'!$A:$A;0)+2;4;1;1;"NIELSEN FD-omzet")&":"&ADRES(VERGELIJKEN($A$3;'NIELSEN FD-omzet'!$A:$A;0)+6;12;1;1;);WAAR);VERGELIJKEN($A4;INDIRECT(ADRES(VERGELIJKEN($A$3;'NIELSEN FD-omzet'!$A:$A;0)+2;3;1;1;"NIELSEN FD-OMZET")&":"&ADRES(VERGELIJKEN($A$3;'NIELSEN FD-omzet'!$A:$A;0)+7;3;1;1;));0);VERGELIJKEN(B$2;'NIELSEN FD-omzet'!$D$2:$L$2;0)))

nice formula, right? :-)

Answer 1

=MATCH(TRUE,INDEX(ISBLANK(A4:A13),0),0)

Answer 2

Say B1:B4 is the table of values an A1 is the value to find.

This formula:

=IF(A1="",MATCH(TRUE,INDEX(B1:B4="",0),0),MATCH(A1,B1:B5,0))

will work where A1 is empty or not! For example:

and for empty:

EDIT#1

For the Poster's case this would be:

=IF(A3="",MATCH(TRUE,INDEX(A4:A13="",0),0),MATCH(A3,A4:A13,0))

or just:
=MATCH(TRUE,INDEX(A4:A13=A3,0),0)