HELP WITH INDEX FUNCTION

amanda_d

I have two columns... one with names and one with scores. I need a formula that will show the name of the person with the highest score. Is that possible?

Paul Newcome

It is very possible in a number of different ways. I would start with something along the lines of this.

 

=INDEX([Name Column]:[Name Column], MATCH(MAX([Score Column]:[Score Column]), [Score Column]:[Score Column]))

J. Craig Williams

Having a last name in the last part of the alphabet, I must call attention to the fact that INDEX(MATCH()) is not a good formula for this case.

Paul's example will return the first (and only) name that has a high score.

If there are two or more, well, it must be nice to have a last name like Aardvark.

Here's one that will return the names of the highest score, separated by a comma.

=JOIN(COLLECT(Name:Name, Score:Score, MAX(Score:Score)), ",")

Name = [Name Column], and so on in Paul's formula.

Craig

Paul Newcome

Craig is correct. My formula will only return 1 name which will be the name that is closest to the top of the list regardless of sort order (although lists of names are typically sorted alphabetically which would give Mr. Aardvark an advantage).

 

This is because the MATCH function will return the first location number in which the high score resides. This in turn will determine which row the INDEX pulls from.

 

If there is something built in to avoid having duplicate scores, this will work.

 

Otherwise you will need to use Craig's solution (which is usually my first choice for something like this but for some reason slipped my mind this time around).

.

Thanks for the catch, Craig. I usually do go with a JOIN/COLLECT when there is the possibility of multiple returns. I don't know why I didn't this time.

J. Craig Williams

I thought it was Ms Aardvark, because women are smarter than men, but YMMV

Craig

Paul Newcome

Yup. Caught me again. Ms. Aardvark. Haha.

J. Craig Williams

(wink)