Excel - COLUMN Function Problem - Expert Solution

Question description:
This user has given permission to use the problem statement for this blog.

I'm using a formula to reference a closed spreadsheet but I only want it to return the data in the column not repeat the data from the start
Solved by A. H. in 60 mins
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Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 04:56
Hi
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 04:56
How are you
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 04:57
nd how may i assist you with today
User 10/03/2018 - 04:57
I'm good for 4am Sydney time
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 04:57
OOO, wake up too early
User 10/03/2018 - 04:57
im writing a number of formulas
User 10/03/2018 - 04:57
no still up late
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 04:57
Okay seems to be hard working
User 10/03/2018 - 04:58
hang on ill show the syntax
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 04:58
sure go ahead
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 04:58
m in india 11pm, working hard
User 10/03/2018 - 04:59
ok
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:00
Okay thats a referencing from different file i guess?
User 10/03/2018 - 05:00
so I put the correct file path and it returns the data in a column but if I copy down the column it keeps repeating the data
User 10/03/2018 - 05:00
it returns the data in the list then after it has returned all the data there is it starts returning from the top again
User 10/03/2018 - 05:01
I only want it to return the data from the list one time
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:01
while referencing it would have have been great if you have shared the sheet
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:02
can you now share me both the sheets?
User 10/03/2018 - 05:02
example if there are 10 names in a column and I use this formula and copy it down the whole column in the sheet where I want the return it doesn't stop after returning the ten names it keeps repeating down the column
User 10/03/2018 - 05:03
i cant share as its my wifes work but i can re create here'
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:04
yes that will workout for me, please go ahead
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:04
Names ae in column A,? right
User 10/03/2018 - 05:04
one moment
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:05
Okay
User 10/03/2018 - 05:06
well the idea is to use the example sheets here and the list of names in sheet 2
User 10/03/2018 - 05:07
then return the values in sheet 1
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:08
Okay
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:09
its seems the index formula is not working properly in shared sheet
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:09
wait i will share you the excel file with this example
User 10/03/2018 - 05:10
maybe it will help if i explain what im trying to do more
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:10
yes sure please go ahead
User 10/03/2018 - 05:11
i have a file with multiple tabs all of which have the same header title for a certain data
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:11
Okay
User 10/03/2018 - 05:12
i want to extract all the data from each tab in the column that matches the header title then return that data in one column on another spreadsheet
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:12
then i guess Vlookup clause would work well the
User 10/03/2018 - 05:12
so each list of names for example from each tab in one column after each other
User 10/03/2018 - 05:13
ive been told index match would work better
User 10/03/2018 - 05:13
but i don't mind as long as it does the job
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:13
yes, aggregation of index match = vlookup
User 10/03/2018 - 05:14
can you write me a formula that allows me to do this
User 10/03/2018 - 05:14
and then i can just change the file path myself
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:14
vlookup is the simplest form of index and match
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:14
okay
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:14
sure will do that
User 10/03/2018 - 05:14
thanks
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:15
See in sheet 2 different name have different values
User 10/03/2018 - 05:16
why do they have values at all
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:16
now for example we want to look up dave's value in sheet1
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:16
its for example
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:17
Now check in sheet 1
User 10/03/2018 - 05:17
ok so if i can explain using this example i just want to take the list of names from sheet 2 and return them in sheet 1 but with no duplicates
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:18
Okay
User 10/03/2018 - 05:18
obviously this is a simple version and i would change the formula so it will take the list from another spreadsheet that is also closed sheet
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:20
Now check in Sheet 1, i guess this is the issue you might be facing while copying to other cells, right?
User 10/03/2018 - 05:21
i see nothing in sheet 1
User 10/03/2018 - 05:21
oh ok
User 10/03/2018 - 05:21
wait
User 10/03/2018 - 05:21
well that's a start
User 10/03/2018 - 05:22
but i want it to return the whole list and only return each name once
User 10/03/2018 - 05:22
so no duplicates
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:22
see now
User 10/03/2018 - 05:23
getting there
User 10/03/2018 - 05:23
now i want tit to return only each name once
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:23
yes like john appeard twice you dont want that right?
User 10/03/2018 - 05:23
yes
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:26
it can done using the remove duplicate option
User 10/03/2018 - 05:26
what is that
User 10/03/2018 - 05:26
need the formula to do it automatically
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:27
yes i understand trying to evaluate it
User 10/03/2018 - 05:29
is there a simple way to copy the whole column and then auto remove duplicates after that
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:30
For that you would need vba code,
User 10/03/2018 - 05:30
oh i c
User 10/03/2018 - 05:30
im trying to get away from VBA
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:30
still will come up with a formula
User 10/03/2018 - 05:31
will use it if i need to but that means getting someone to help write it
User 10/03/2018 - 05:32
you see there are some other processes i need to do as well after i extract the list
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:32
Okay
User 10/03/2018 - 05:33
maybe i can add to this spreadsheet to show more of the example
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:34
yes just randomize your data and share it
User 10/03/2018 - 05:34
ok
User 10/03/2018 - 05:36
this data is time in hours minutes seconds
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:36
okay
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:39
this is the main file right?
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:39
where there is all the data
User 10/03/2018 - 05:39
yes so ill do just one tab but there are multiple tabs
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:40
okay
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:41
So you need all these data uniquely in other sheet, right?
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:43
Okay i got it, for this you would just 1 formula in sheet 3 ie: Sumifs
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:44
And for names i can see you would need unique values
User 10/03/2018 - 05:44
yeah i can make the sumifs but i need to be able to expand the cell to show the sub totals
User 10/03/2018 - 05:44
ill show you
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:47
So you just need the unique names from the list right,?
User 10/03/2018 - 05:49
so i need to sum each name separately that way they oinly appear once in sheet 3 with a total for that name then a total for all the names
User 10/03/2018 - 05:49
but i need this list of names in sheet 3 to be like an expandable cell
User 10/03/2018 - 05:50
this is for my wifes work and she is asleep so i cant ask but i understand what she wants
User 10/03/2018 - 05:50
she described it like a pivot table in sheet 3
User 10/03/2018 - 05:50
so the data is like "sort and filter"
User 10/03/2018 - 05:51
or appears like a pivot table and you can do the same as sort and filter
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:51
yes, also it should be able to add unique names
User 10/03/2018 - 05:51
yes sum each unique name from sheet one and give it 1 total for that name in sheet 3
User 10/03/2018 - 05:52
thn do this for each unique name
User 10/03/2018 - 05:52
the sum all the names in sheet 3 also
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:52
Sumifs will work out for this
User 10/03/2018 - 05:52
im sorry if this is difficult for you but im sure you are so good at this that you can come up with some great code
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:53
it would have but it should have been great if you could have shared the sample sheet
User 10/03/2018 - 05:53
so i think if you can write a formula that will work for this example i could adjust or change the file names and locations to suit what i need
User 10/03/2018 - 05:54
sorry the sample sheet is on another computer i don't have access too at this time
User 10/03/2018 - 05:55
i hope time doesn't run out for us
Excelchat Expert 10/03/2018 - 05:56
,seein for john

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