Creating a Dynamic List in Excel

Overview

To create a dynamic list that shrinks based on matching player and position against another range, we will utilize a combination of Excel functions such as FILTER, UNIQUE, and conditional logic to achieve this outcome.

Formula Explanation

The formula we will create filters a list of players based on specific criteria. The basic structure of the formula is as follows:

=FILTER(unique_players_range, (player_column = selected_player) * (position_column = selected_position), "No match found")

Components of the Formula

• FILTER: This function filters a range based on specified criteria.
• unique_players_range: This is the range that contains the unique player names.
• player_column: This is the column that contains the player names you want to filter.
• position_column: This is the column that contains the player positions.
• selected_player: A cell reference that contains the player name used for matching.
• selected_position: A cell reference that contains the position used for matching.
• "No match found": The value displayed if no data matches the criteria.

Practical Example

Scenario

Suppose you have the following datasets:

1. Player List

   • Column A: Player Names (A2:A10)
   • Column B: Positions (B2:B10)

2. Criteria

   • E1: Selected Player Name (for example, "John Doe")
   • E2: Selected Position (for example, "Forward")

Setup

1. Player List (A2:B10):

   | Player Name | Position |
   |-------------|----------|
   | John Doe    | Forward  |
   | Jane Smith   | Defender |
   | John Doe    | Defender |
   | Sarah Brown  | Forward  |
   | Lisa White   | Midfielder |
   | John Doe    | Midfielder |
   | Mike Black   | Forward  |
   | John Doe    | Forward  |

2. Criteria Input:

   • E1: "John Doe"
   • E2: "Forward"

Final Formula

To create a dynamic list that shows only the matching entries from the player list, use the following formula:

=FILTER(A2:A10, (A2:A10 = E1) * (B2:B10 = E2), "No match found")

Explanation of the Example

• This formula checks the player names in column A against the selected player (E1) and the positions in column B against the selected position (E2).
• The result will display all instances where both conditions are satisfied. If "John Doe" is a "Forward", it will be returned in the cell where the formula is placed.
• If no matches are found, it returns "No match found".

Summary

This dynamic list setup allows filtering player names and positions based on user-defined criteria seamlessly. By utilizing the FILTER function, one can create a responsive data model in Excel that adjusts automatically as criteria change, enhancing the interactivity of your data analysis.

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