find first specific text string

Excel Facts

What do {} around a formula in the formula bar mean?
{Formula} means the formula was entered using Ctrl+Shift+Enter signifying an old-style array formula.
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If you want to actually start this from row 2 downward, in D2:
=IFERROR(LOOKUP(2,1/($A$1:A1=A2),$B$1:B1),"")
Copy down.

Otherwise, the formula in D9 specifically is:
=IFERROR(LOOKUP(2,1/($A$1:A8=A9),$B$1:B8),"")

<b>Sheet1</b><br /><br /><table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="font-family:Calibri,Arial; font-size:11pt; background-color:#ffffff; padding-left:2pt; padding-right:2pt; "> <colgroup><col style="font-weight:bold; width:30px; " /><col style="width:64px;" /><col style="width:64px;" /><col style="width:64px;" /><col style="width:64px;" /></colgroup><tr style="background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; font-weight:bold; font-size:8pt; "><td > </td><td >A</td><td >B</td><td >C</td><td >D</td></tr><tr style="height:18px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >1</td><td >larry</td><td style="text-align:right; ">3</td><td >a</td><td > </td></tr><tr style="height:18px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >2</td><td >john</td><td style="text-align:right; ">10</td><td >c</td><td > </td></tr><tr style="height:18px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >3</td><td >mary</td><td style="text-align:right; ">4</td><td >b</td><td > </td></tr><tr style="height:18px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >4</td><td >steve</td><td style="text-align:right; ">5</td><td >b</td><td > </td></tr><tr style="height:18px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >5</td><td >larry</td><td style="text-align:right; ">8</td><td >c</td><td style="text-align:right; ">3</td></tr><tr style="height:18px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >6</td><td >peter</td><td style="text-align:right; ">6</td><td >a</td><td > </td></tr><tr style="height:18px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >7</td><td >steve</td><td style="text-align:right; ">7</td><td >a</td><td style="text-align:right; ">5</td></tr><tr style="height:18px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >8</td><td >mike</td><td style="text-align:right; ">8</td><td >a</td><td > </td></tr><tr style="height:18px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >9</td><td >larry</td><td style="text-align:right; ">3</td><td >a</td><td style="text-align:right; ">8</td></tr></table><br /><table style="font-family:Arial; font-size:10pt; border-style: groove ;border-color:#00ff00;background-color:#fffcf9; color:#000000; "><tr><td ><b>Spreadsheet Formulas</b></td></tr><tr><td ><table border = "1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" style="font-family:Arial; font-size:9pt;"><tr style="background-color:#cacaca; font-size:10pt;"><td >Cell</td><td >Formula</td></tr><tr><td >D2</td><td >=IFERROR(LOOKUP<span style=' color:008000; '>(2,1/<span style=' color:#0000ff; '>($A$1:A1=A2)</span>,$B$1:B1)</span>,"")</td></tr><tr><td >D3</td><td >=IFERROR(LOOKUP<span style=' color:008000; '>(2,1/<span style=' color:#0000ff; '>($A$1:A2=A3)</span>,$B$1:B2)</span>,"")</td></tr><tr><td >D4</td><td >=IFERROR(LOOKUP<span style=' color:008000; '>(2,1/<span style=' color:#0000ff; '>($A$1:A3=A4)</span>,$B$1:B3)</span>,"")</td></tr><tr><td >D5</td><td >=IFERROR(LOOKUP<span style=' color:008000; '>(2,1/<span style=' color:#0000ff; '>($A$1:A4=A5)</span>,$B$1:B4)</span>,"")</td></tr><tr><td >D6</td><td >=IFERROR(LOOKUP<span style=' color:008000; '>(2,1/<span style=' color:#0000ff; '>($A$1:A5=A6)</span>,$B$1:B5)</span>,"")</td></tr><tr><td >D7</td><td >=IFERROR(LOOKUP<span style=' color:008000; '>(2,1/<span style=' color:#0000ff; '>($A$1:A6=A7)</span>,$B$1:B6)</span>,"")</td></tr><tr><td >D8</td><td >=IFERROR(LOOKUP<span style=' color:008000; '>(2,1/<span style=' color:#0000ff; '>($A$1:A7=A8)</span>,$B$1:B7)</span>,"")</td></tr><tr><td >D9</td><td >=IFERROR(LOOKUP<span style=' color:008000; '>(2,1/<span style=' color:#0000ff; '>($A$1:A8=A9)</span>,$B$1:B8)</span>,"")</td></tr></table></td></tr></table> <br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial; font-size:9pt; font-weight:bold;background-color:#ffffff; color:#000000; ">Excel tables to the web >> </span>
 
Upvote 0
This could also be modified to show only the last result that had a match above it:

In that case in D2:
=IFERROR(LOOKUP(2,1/(($A$1:A1=A2)*COUNTIF($A$1:A2,A2)=COUNTIF(A:A,A2)),$B$1:B1),"")

Copy down.

<b>Sheet1</b><br /><br /><table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="font-family:Calibri,Arial; font-size:11pt; background-color:#ffffff; padding-left:2pt; padding-right:2pt; "> <colgroup><col style="font-weight:bold; width:30px; " /><col style="width:64px;" /><col style="width:64px;" /><col style="width:64px;" /><col style="width:64px;" /></colgroup><tr style="background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; font-weight:bold; font-size:8pt; "><td > </td><td >A</td><td >B</td><td >C</td><td >D</td></tr><tr style="height:18px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >1</td><td >larry</td><td style="text-align:right; ">3</td><td >a</td><td > </td></tr><tr style="height:18px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >2</td><td >john</td><td style="text-align:right; ">10</td><td >c</td><td > </td></tr><tr style="height:18px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >3</td><td >mary</td><td style="text-align:right; ">4</td><td >b</td><td > </td></tr><tr style="height:18px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >4</td><td >steve</td><td style="text-align:right; ">5</td><td >b</td><td > </td></tr><tr style="height:18px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >5</td><td >larry</td><td style="text-align:right; ">8</td><td >c</td><td > </td></tr><tr style="height:18px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >6</td><td >peter</td><td style="text-align:right; ">6</td><td >a</td><td > </td></tr><tr style="height:18px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >7</td><td >steve</td><td style="text-align:right; ">7</td><td >a</td><td style="text-align:right; ">5</td></tr><tr style="height:18px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >8</td><td >mike</td><td style="text-align:right; ">8</td><td >a</td><td > </td></tr><tr style="height:18px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >9</td><td >larry</td><td style="text-align:right; ">3</td><td >a</td><td style="text-align:right; ">8</td></tr></table><br /><table style="font-family:Arial; font-size:10pt; border-style: groove ;border-color:#00ff00;background-color:#fffcf9; color:#000000; "><tr><td ><b>Spreadsheet Formulas</b></td></tr><tr><td ><table border = "1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" style="font-family:Arial; font-size:9pt;"><tr style="background-color:#cacaca; font-size:10pt;"><td >Cell</td><td >Formula</td></tr><tr><td >D2</td><td >=IFERROR(LOOKUP<span style=' color:008000; '>(2,1/<span style=' color:#0000ff; '>(<span style=' color:#ff0000; '>($A$1:A1=A2)</span>*COUNTIF<span style=' color:#ff0000; '>($A$1:A2,A2)</span>=COUNTIF<span style=' color:#ff0000; '>(A:A,A2)</span>)</span>,$B$1:B1)</span>,"")</td></tr><tr><td >D3</td><td >=IFERROR(LOOKUP<span style=' color:008000; '>(2,1/<span style=' color:#0000ff; '>(<span style=' color:#ff0000; '>($A$1:A2=A3)</span>*COUNTIF<span style=' color:#ff0000; '>($A$1:A3,A3)</span>=COUNTIF<span style=' color:#ff0000; '>(A:A,A3)</span>)</span>,$B$1:B2)</span>,"")</td></tr><tr><td >D4</td><td >=IFERROR(LOOKUP<span style=' color:008000; '>(2,1/<span style=' color:#0000ff; '>(<span style=' color:#ff0000; '>($A$1:A3=A4)</span>*COUNTIF<span style=' color:#ff0000; '>($A$1:A4,A4)</span>=COUNTIF<span style=' color:#ff0000; '>(A:A,A4)</span>)</span>,$B$1:B3)</span>,"")</td></tr><tr><td >D5</td><td >=IFERROR(LOOKUP<span style=' color:008000; '>(2,1/<span style=' color:#0000ff; '>(<span style=' color:#ff0000; '>($A$1:A4=A5)</span>*COUNTIF<span style=' color:#ff0000; '>($A$1:A5,A5)</span>=COUNTIF<span style=' color:#ff0000; '>(A:A,A5)</span>)</span>,$B$1:B4)</span>,"")</td></tr><tr><td >D6</td><td >=IFERROR(LOOKUP<span style=' color:008000; '>(2,1/<span style=' color:#0000ff; '>(<span style=' color:#ff0000; '>($A$1:A5=A6)</span>*COUNTIF<span style=' color:#ff0000; '>($A$1:A6,A6)</span>=COUNTIF<span style=' color:#ff0000; '>(A:A,A6)</span>)</span>,$B$1:B5)</span>,"")</td></tr><tr><td >D7</td><td >=IFERROR(LOOKUP<span style=' color:008000; '>(2,1/<span style=' color:#0000ff; '>(<span style=' color:#ff0000; '>($A$1:A6=A7)</span>*COUNTIF<span style=' color:#ff0000; '>($A$1:A7,A7)</span>=COUNTIF<span style=' color:#ff0000; '>(A:A,A7)</span>)</span>,$B$1:B6)</span>,"")</td></tr><tr><td >D8</td><td >=IFERROR(LOOKUP<span style=' color:008000; '>(2,1/<span style=' color:#0000ff; '>(<span style=' color:#ff0000; '>($A$1:A7=A8)</span>*COUNTIF<span style=' color:#ff0000; '>($A$1:A8,A8)</span>=COUNTIF<span style=' color:#ff0000; '>(A:A,A8)</span>)</span>,$B$1:B7)</span>,"")</td></tr><tr><td >D9</td><td >=IFERROR(LOOKUP<span style=' color:008000; '>(2,1/<span style=' color:#0000ff; '>(<span style=' color:#ff0000; '>($A$1:A8=A9)</span>*COUNTIF<span style=' color:#ff0000; '>($A$1:A9,A9)</span>=COUNTIF<span style=' color:#ff0000; '>(A:A,A9)</span>)</span>,$B$1:B8)</span>,"")</td></tr></table></td></tr></table> <br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial; font-size:9pt; font-weight:bold;background-color:#ffffff; color:#000000; ">Excel tables to the web >> </span>
 
Upvote 0
thanks a lot!

one more question,

what if I want in e9 and f9 cells instead of the first cell above,

look up for the second (e9) and the third (f9)
 
Upvote 0
Isn't that a lot like my first example where it showed all of them?
 
Upvote 0
in my case (first example)

I want e9 cell to show me the value 3

(bypass the value 8)
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0
In D9:

=IFERROR(INDEX($B:$B,LARGE(IF($A$1:$A8=$A9,ROW($A$1:$A8)),COLUMN(A1))),"")

Confirm with CTRL-SHIFT-ENTER rather than just Enter.
Copy across.

<b>Sheet1</b><br /><br /><table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="font-family:Calibri,Arial; font-size:11pt; background-color:#ffffff; padding-left:2pt; padding-right:2pt; "> <colgroup><col style="font-weight:bold; width:30px; " /><col style="width:64px;" /><col style="width:64px;" /><col style="width:64px;" /><col style="width:64px;" /><col style="width:64px;" /><col style="width:64px;" /></colgroup><tr style="background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; font-weight:bold; font-size:8pt; "><td > </td><td >A</td><td >B</td><td >C</td><td >D</td><td >E</td><td >F</td></tr><tr style="height:18px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >1</td><td >larry</td><td style="text-align:right; ">3</td><td >a</td><td > </td><td > </td><td > </td></tr><tr style="height:18px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >2</td><td >john</td><td style="text-align:right; ">10</td><td >c</td><td > </td><td > </td><td > </td></tr><tr style="height:18px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >3</td><td >mary</td><td style="text-align:right; ">4</td><td >b</td><td > </td><td > </td><td > </td></tr><tr style="height:18px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >4</td><td >steve</td><td style="text-align:right; ">5</td><td >b</td><td > </td><td > </td><td > </td></tr><tr style="height:18px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >5</td><td >larry</td><td style="text-align:right; ">8</td><td >c</td><td > </td><td > </td><td > </td></tr><tr style="height:18px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >6</td><td >peter</td><td style="text-align:right; ">6</td><td >a</td><td > </td><td > </td><td > </td></tr><tr style="height:18px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >7</td><td >steve</td><td style="text-align:right; ">7</td><td >a</td><td > </td><td > </td><td > </td></tr><tr style="height:18px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >8</td><td >mike</td><td style="text-align:right; ">8</td><td >a</td><td > </td><td > </td><td > </td></tr><tr style="height:18px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >9</td><td >larry</td><td style="text-align:right; ">3</td><td >a</td><td style="text-align:right; ">8</td><td style="text-align:right; ">3</td><td > </td></tr></table><br /><table style="font-family:Arial; font-size:10pt; border-style: groove ;border-color:#00ff00;background-color:#fffcf9; color:#000000; "><tr><td ><b>Spreadsheet Formulas</b></td></tr><tr><td ><table border = "1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" style="font-family:Arial; font-size:9pt;"><tr style="background-color:#cacaca; font-size:10pt;"><td >Cell</td><td >Formula</td></tr><tr><td >D9</td><td >{=IFERROR(INDEX<span style=' color:008000; '>($B:$B,LARGE<span style=' color:#0000ff; '>(IF<span style=' color:#ff0000; '>($A$1:$A8=$A9,ROW<span style=' color:#804000; '>($A$1:$A8)</span>)</span>,COLUMN<span style=' color:#ff0000; '>(A1)</span>)</span>)</span>,"")}</td></tr><tr><td >E9</td><td >{=IFERROR(INDEX<span style=' color:008000; '>($B:$B,LARGE<span style=' color:#0000ff; '>(IF<span style=' color:#ff0000; '>($A$1:$A8=$A9,ROW<span style=' color:#804000; '>($A$1:$A8)</span>)</span>,COLUMN<span style=' color:#ff0000; '>(B1)</span>)</span>)</span>,"")}</td></tr><tr><td >F9</td><td >{=IFERROR(INDEX<span style=' color:008000; '>($B:$B,LARGE<span style=' color:#0000ff; '>(IF<span style=' color:#ff0000; '>($A$1:$A8=$A9,ROW<span style=' color:#804000; '>($A$1:$A8)</span>)</span>,COLUMN<span style=' color:#ff0000; '>(C1)</span>)</span>)</span>,"")}</td></tr></table></td></tr><tr><td ><span style=' font-family:Arial,Arial; font-size:9pt; font-weight:bold;'>Formula Array:</span><span style=' font-family:Arial,Arial; font-size:9pt;'><br />Produce enclosing </span><span style=' font-family:Arial,Arial; font-size:9pt; font-weight:bold;'>{ }</span><span style=' font-family:Arial,Arial; font-size:9pt;'> by entering<br />formula with CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER!</span></td></tr></table> <br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial; font-size:9pt; font-weight:bold;background-color:#ffffff; color:#000000; ">Excel tables to the web >> </span>
 
Upvote 0
=IFERROR(INDEX($C:$C,LARGE(IF($B$1:$B8=$B9,IF($A$1:$A8=$A9,ROW($B$1:$B8))),COLUMN(A1))),"")

Confirm with CTRL-SHIFT-ENTER. Copy across.
 
Upvote 0
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