Excel Formula to Identify Row Number from a Dropdown Selection

Objective

To create an Excel formula that determines the row number of a selected record from a dropdown list.

Assumptions

• The dropdown is created from a list of values located in a specific range.
• The data table is structured in a way that aligns the dropdown selections with their corresponding row numbers.

Steps to Implement

1. Create the Dropdown List

   • Select a cell (e.g., E1).
   • Go to the Data tab, click on Data Validation.
   • Choose List and specify the range for the dropdown source (e.g., A2:A10).

2. Formula to Determine Row Number

   • In another cell (e.g., F1), enter the following formula:

     =MATCH(E1, A2:A10, 0) + ROW(A2) - 1

Explanation of the Formula

• MATCH(E1, A2:A10, 0):

  • This function searches for the value selected in E1 within the range A2:A10.
  • It returns the relative position of the matching value in the range. For example, if the selected value is in A3, the function will return 2 as it is the second item in the range.

• ROW(A2):

  • This function returns the row number of the first cell in the specified range (A2), which in this case is 2.

• - 1:

  • This adjustment is made because the MATCH function returns a 1-based index relative to the range specified, while we want the actual row number in the entire worksheet.

Example Application

• Given Data:

  • A2: "Apple"
  • A3: "Banana"
  • A4: "Cherry"
  • A5: "Date"
  • A6: "Elderberry"
  • A7: "Fig"
  • A8: "Grape"
  • A9: "Honeydew"
  • A10: "Kiwi"

• If the user selects "Cherry" from the dropdown in E1, the formula in F1 will compute as follows:

  • MATCH("Cherry", A2:A10, 0) returns 3 (the relative position).
  • ROW(A2) returns 2.

  Therefore, the result in F1 will be:

  • 3 + 2 - 1 = 4

This indicates that "Cherry" is located in row 4 of the Excel sheet.

Conclusion

By utilizing the MATCH and ROW functions together, it is possible to effectively identify and display the row number of a selected item from a dropdown list. This method can be applied universally to any similar datasets where dropdown selections need to reference their respective positions. For further learning on advanced Excel techniques, consider exploring resources on the Enterprise DNA Platform.