Smallest value (earliest date) but not in a list. How to adapt MIN(IF(...) function

[Uganda]

Hello

I need to find the earliest date out of four fields but they are not next to each other.

I have seen the below formula:

=MIN(IF(A1:A4>=01/07/15, A1:A4))

However I can't seem to make it work when not selecting a list to choose from i.e. I want to choose from WT2, ABO2, ABR2 and ACP2.

Can anyone advise what formula I need to use?

Thanks so much!

 

[Jonmo1]

You're welcome.

Though I'd still search for an easier method.

Is there anything common in another row that might indicate which columns should be included?
Something like a particular header string?

So we could do something like
=MIN(IF(WT2:ACP2>"01/07/15"+0,IF(WT1:ACP1="somestring",WT2:ACP2)))

 

[Jonmo1]

Thanks Eric for your help.
The reason your solution wouldn't work is that I couldn't prioritise the columns.

Eric's formula doesn't require any prioritizing of columns.

 

[Uganda]

I have so many different date fields so the word date won't do it, one word in common is also repeated in other field names so I don't think this would work. I would have thought that Eric's answer meant the first cell mentioned was taken if after 01/07/15 i.e if the second field had an earlier date the first one would still be taken if after 01/07/15. If that is not the case, maybe that would be best?!

 

[Jonmo1]

I would have thought that Eric's answer meant the first cell mentioned was taken if after 01/07/15 i.e if the second field had an earlier date the first one would still be taken if after 01/07/15.

No, that is not the case.
Each IF is independant of each other, and returns their values as seperate arguments to the MIN function.
Then the MIN function decides which one is the lowest as it always does.


It's good advice to always at least try suggested solutions before rejecting them.

 

[Uganda]

Indeed. Lesson learnt.