Comparing lists to find unique items

Tangaroo

New Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2008
Messages
2
I have 2 spreadsheets, one with 2006 data and one with 2007. In the 2007 data, I would like to insert a field that compares lines and tells me whether or not each line is "new" (does not appear in the 2006 sheet). Also, I am not simply comparing one cell, but several different ones, for example:

SCENARIO #1:
2006 data
Cell A1: X
Cell B1: X
Cell C1: X

2007 data (this scenario would return the value "OLD")
Cell A1: X
Cell B1: X
Cell C1: X
---------------------

SCENARIO #2:
2006 data
Cell A1: X
Cell B1: X
Cell C1: X

2007 data (this scenario would return the value "NEW")
Cell A1: X
Cell B1: X
Cell C1: Y

I'm assuming it's some sort of crazy VLOOKUP function, but please let me know what you think. Also, the lists are in no particular order, not sorted a specific way, etc., so each item is out of place.
 

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you mean something like this?

<html><head><title>Excel Jeanie HTML</title></head><body>

<!-- ######### Start Created Html Code To Copy ########## -->

Excel Workbook
A
1book
2pen
3paper
4chair
5frame
2006data




<!-- ######### End Created Html Code To Copy ########## -->

</body></html>



<html><head><title>Excel Jeanie HTML</title></head><body>

<!-- ######### Start Created Html Code To Copy ########## -->

Excel Workbook
AB
1computerNEW
2bookOLD
3tissueNEW
4chairOLD
5clockNEW
2007data




<!-- ######### End Created Html Code To Copy ########## -->

</body></html>
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0
Depending on the size of your range you don't really want to use an array formula x times ... I'd suggest if you can create a new value in each workbook, namely

="a:"&Ax&"b:"&Bx&"c:"&Cx

where x = row

assuming this in column D you could just use plain old MATCH function based on D value
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0
Thanks! I think that will work, but I also want to compare more than one field to qualify for new/old status, for example:

Take "book" - suppose in 2006, the cell next to it says "science" and in 2007, it says "math" next to it. Then in the 2007 sheet, I want to it say "NEW" b/c not all the fields match up. Thoughts?
 
Upvote 0
you have multiple criteria so a VLOOKUP solution won't do it for you I'm afraid... you need to use a SUMPRODUCT type arrangement... however if you have x1000 rows that's a LOT of sumproducts... so I'm not convinced that's the way you should go.

To use a standard VLOOKUP/MATCH solution I would suggest creating a unique reference / concatenation of the values you want to match in each workbook and then use a bog standard VLOOKUP/MATCH formula to see if the same Concatenation appears in the other file... if it doesn't it's new, if it does it isn't.
 
Upvote 0

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