Trouble with Tables and Index: How to anchor table headings?

[thedr9wningman]

I'm having some trouble with data formatted in tables and doing the Index() function within them.

What I would like to do is anchor some fields in a multiple Index() function I'm doing. Essentially here's the deal.
-------------------------------------------
Year Month Segment Shape1 Shape2
-------------------------------------------
When I use my index function to look up other values in other tables (which are oriented in a different way, so Segments 1-4 are rows instead of columns), when I autofill the formula from Shape1 to Shape2, the index that looks up the Year and Month moves over to the right, so my index goes from Index(...., Match(Date([@Year],[@Month],1), {other_table}[Date],0)....) to Index({lookup spot}, Match(Date([@Month],[@Segment],1), {other_table[Date]},0)....)

I'm also doing an index/match on the Shape (for the column part of the function), so I like that that part is variable. Example: Index(...., Match(Date([@Year],[@Month],1), {other_table}[Date],0), Match([#heading], {shapes_table[Shape1]},0)) This way, when I move/copy the formula to Shape2, it moves in accordance with what I need.

In the old way, I would just use a $ to anchor my formula, but $[@Month] doesn't work. Is there a way to tell Excel when to drift from column to column and when to stay put? I've looked everywhere and I can't find anything.

How do I anchor the Date variables to just stay put in that column?! I've tried [[#heading],[Year]] to no avail.

Thank you
-thedr9wningman

 

[thedr9wningman]

I suppose an example may help.

Let's say I want to populate, or even just replicate, using the Index function, a second table from a source table. Here's the source excerpt:

This table is called CBSA_Survival_Rates_tbl
<b>Excel 2010</b><table cellpadding="2.5px" rules="all" style=";background-color: #FFFFFF;border: 1px solid;border-collapse: collapse; border-color: #BBB"><colgroup><col width="25px" style="background-color: #DAE7F5" /><col /><col /><col /><col /></colgroup><thead><tr style=" background-color: #DAE7F5;text-align: center;color: #161120"><th></th><th>B</th><th>C</th><th>D</th><th>E</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr ><td style="color: #161120;text-align: center;">35</td><td style="border-top: 1px solid black;border-right: 1px solid black;border-bottom: 1px solid black;border-left: 1px solid black;;">Building Type</td><td style="border-top: 1px solid black;border-right: 1px solid black;border-bottom: 1px solid black;border-left: 1px solid black;font-style: italic;;">pre-1988 Rate</td><td style="border-top: 1px solid black;border-right: 1px solid black;border-bottom: 1px solid black;border-left: 1px solid black;font-style: italic;;">1988-1994 Rate</td><td style="border-top: 1px solid black;border-right: 1px solid black;border-bottom: 1px solid black;border-left: 1px solid black;font-style: italic;;">1995-2001 Rate</td></tr><tr ><td style="color: #161120;text-align: center;">36</td><td style="border-top: 1px solid black;border-right: 1px solid black;border-bottom: 1px solid black;border-left: 1px solid black;;">Dry Goods Retail</td><td style="text-align: right;border-top: 1px solid black;border-left: 1px solid black;;">98.0%</td><td style="text-align: right;border-top: 1px solid black;;">94.8%</td><td style="text-align: right;border-top: 1px solid black;;">99.9%</td></tr><tr ><td style="color: #161120;text-align: center;">37</td><td style="border-top: 1px solid black;border-right: 1px solid black;border-bottom: 1px solid black;border-left: 1px solid black;;">Grocery</td><td style="text-align: right;border-left: 1px solid black;;">94.4%</td><td style="text-align: right;;">94.8%</td><td style="text-align: right;;">99.9%</td></tr><tr ><td style="color: #161120;text-align: center;">38</td><td style="border-top: 1px solid black;border-right: 1px solid black;border-bottom: 1px solid black;border-left: 1px solid black;;">Office</td><td style="text-align: right;border-left: 1px solid black;;">99.9%</td><td style="text-align: right;;">97.7%</td><td style="text-align: right;;">99.9%</td></tr><tr ><td style="color: #161120;text-align: center;">39</td><td style="border-top: 1px solid black;border-right: 1px solid black;border-bottom: 1px solid black;border-left: 1px solid black;;">Restaurant</td><td style="text-align: right;border-left: 1px solid black;;">95.7%</td><td style="text-align: right;;">100.0%</td><td style="text-align: right;;">100.0%</td></tr><tr ><td style="color: #161120;text-align: center;">40</td><td style="border-top: 1px solid black;border-right: 1px solid black;border-bottom: 1px solid black;border-left: 1px solid black;;">Warehouse</td><td style="text-align: right;border-left: 1px solid black;;">97.7%</td><td style="text-align: right;;">100.0%</td><td style="text-align: right;;">100.0%</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="width:15em;font-weight:bold;margin:0;padding:0.2em 0.6em 0.2em 0.5em;border: 1px solid #BBB;border-top:none;text-align: center;background-color: #DAE7F5;color: #161120">Market Size Determination</p><br /><br />

Now, I want to replicate these using structured references. This table is called Retirement_sqft_tbl:
<b>Excel 2010</b><table cellpadding="2.5px" rules="all" style=";background-color: #FFFFFF;border: 1px solid;border-collapse: collapse; border-color: #BBB"><colgroup><col width="25px" style="background-color: #DAE7F5" /><col /><col /><col /><col /></colgroup><thead><tr style=" background-color: #DAE7F5;text-align: center;color: #161120"><th></th><th>B</th><th>C</th><th>D</th><th>E</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr ><td style="color: #161120;text-align: center;">103</td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid black;;">Building Type</td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid black;;">pre-1988 Rate</td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid black;;">1988-1994 Rate</td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid black;;">1995-2001 Rate</td></tr><tr ><td style="color: #161120;text-align: center;">104</td><td style="border-top: 1px solid black;border-right: 1px solid black;border-bottom: 1px solid black;background-color: #EBF1DE;;">Dry Goods Retail</td><td style="text-align: center;border-top: 1px solid black;border-right: 1px solid black;border-bottom: 1px solid black;border-left: 1px solid black;font-style: italic;color: #FA7D00;background-color: #F2F2F2;;">98.0%</td><td style="text-align: right;border-top: 1px solid black;border-right: 1px solid black;border-bottom: 1px solid black;border-left: 1px solid black;font-style: italic;color: #FA7D00;background-color: #F2F2F2;;">94.8%</td><td style="text-align: right;border-top: 1px solid black;border-right: 1px solid black;border-bottom: 1px solid black;border-left: 1px solid black;font-style: italic;color: #FA7D00;background-color: #F2F2F2;;">99.9%</td></tr><tr ><td style="color: #161120;text-align: center;">105</td><td style="border-top: 1px solid black;border-right: 1px solid black;border-bottom: 1px solid black;;">Grocery</td><td style="text-align: center;border-top: 1px solid black;border-right: 1px solid black;border-bottom: 1px solid black;border-left: 1px solid black;font-style: italic;color: #FA7D00;background-color: #F2F2F2;;">94.4%</td><td style="text-align: right;border-top: 1px solid black;border-right: 1px solid black;border-bottom: 1px solid black;border-left: 1px solid black;font-style: italic;color: #FA7D00;background-color: #F2F2F2;;">94.8%</td><td style="text-align: right;border-top: 1px solid black;border-right: 1px solid black;border-bottom: 1px solid black;border-left: 1px solid black;font-style: italic;color: #FA7D00;background-color: #F2F2F2;;">99.9%</td></tr><tr ><td style="color: #161120;text-align: center;">106</td><td style="border-top: 1px solid black;border-right: 1px solid black;border-bottom: 1px solid black;background-color: #EBF1DE;;">Office</td><td style="text-align: center;border-top: 1px solid black;border-right: 1px solid black;border-bottom: 1px solid black;border-left: 1px solid black;font-style: italic;color: #FA7D00;background-color: #F2F2F2;;">99.9%</td><td style="text-align: right;border-top: 1px solid black;border-right: 1px solid black;border-bottom: 1px solid black;border-left: 1px solid black;font-style: italic;color: #FA7D00;background-color: #F2F2F2;;">97.7%</td><td style="text-align: right;border-top: 1px solid black;border-right: 1px solid black;border-bottom: 1px solid black;border-left: 1px solid black;font-style: italic;color: #FA7D00;background-color: #F2F2F2;;">99.9%</td></tr><tr ><td style="color: #161120;text-align: center;">107</td><td style="border-top: 1px solid black;border-right: 1px solid black;border-bottom: 1px solid black;;">Restaurant</td><td style="text-align: center;border-top: 1px solid black;border-right: 1px solid black;border-bottom: 1px solid black;border-left: 1px solid black;font-style: italic;color: #FA7D00;background-color: #F2F2F2;;">95.7%</td><td style="text-align: right;border-top: 1px solid black;border-right: 1px solid black;border-bottom: 1px solid black;border-left: 1px solid black;font-style: italic;color: #FA7D00;background-color: #F2F2F2;;">100.0%</td><td style="text-align: right;border-top: 1px solid black;border-right: 1px solid black;border-bottom: 1px solid black;border-left: 1px solid black;font-style: italic;color: #FA7D00;background-color: #F2F2F2;;">100.0%</td></tr><tr ><td style="color: #161120;text-align: center;">108</td><td style="border-top: 1px solid black;border-right: 1px solid black;border-bottom: 1px solid black;background-color: #EBF1DE;;">Warehouse</td><td style="text-align: center;border-top: 1px solid black;border-right: 1px solid black;border-bottom: 1px solid black;border-left: 1px solid black;font-style: italic;color: #FA7D00;background-color: #F2F2F2;;">97.7%</td><td style="text-align: right;border-top: 1px solid black;border-right: 1px solid black;border-bottom: 1px solid black;border-left: 1px solid black;font-style: italic;color: #FA7D00;background-color: #F2F2F2;;">100.0%</td><td style="text-align: right;border-top: 1px solid black;border-right: 1px solid black;border-bottom: 1px solid black;border-left: 1px solid black;font-style: italic;color: #FA7D00;background-color: #F2F2F2;;">100.0%</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="width:15em;font-weight:bold;margin:0;padding:0.2em 0.6em 0.2em 0.5em;border: 1px solid #BBB;border-top:none;text-align: center;background-color: #DAE7F5;color: #161120">Market Size Determination</p><br /><br />

<b>Here is the issue.</b>

On the second table, I use: in C104
<code>=INDEX(CBSA_Survival_Rates_tbl,MATCH(Retirement_rate_tbl_building_types,CBSA_Survival_Rates_tbl[[#Data],[Building Type]],0),MATCH(Retirement_sqft_tbl[[#Headers],[1988-1994 Rate]],CBSA_Survival_Rates_tbl[#Headers],0))</code>
If I drag that in the next column, I get an #NA error because of the relative drift to "Pre-1988 Rate".
<code>=INDEX(CBSA_Survival_Rates_tbl,MATCH(Retirement_rate_tbl_building_types,CBSA_Survival_Rates_tbl[[#Data],<b>[pre-1988 Rate]]</b>,0),MATCH(Retirement_sqft_tbl[[#Headers],[1995-2001 Rate]],CBSA_Survival_Rates_tbl[#Headers],0))</code>
<br />
How do I get this to not move in a relative fashion? If I were using R1C1 references, I would just use $B$104:$b$116, but that's what I'm trying to get away from.

 

[Aladin Akyurek]

Try...

C104, copy across and down:

=INDEX(CBSA_Survival_Rates_tbl,ROWS(C$104:C104),MATCH(Retirement_sqft_tbl[[#Headers],[Building Type]],CBSA_Survival_Rates_tbl[#Headers],0))

 

[thedr9wningman]

That may work in this particular instance, but I'm really looking for a general solution to this lack of anchoring issue using tables. I'll show you an example. Here, in the first row, I manually edited Savings_Shape_tbl[Seg] back to [Seg] without any way to anchor it. For example:
<b>Excel 2010</b><table cellpadding="2.5px" rules="all" style=";background-color: #FFFFFF;border: 1px solid;border-collapse: collapse; border-color: #BBB"><colgroup><col width="25px" style="background-color: #DAE7F5" /><col /><col /><col /><col /><col /><col /></colgroup><thead><tr style=" background-color: #DAE7F5;text-align: center;color: #161120"><th></th><th>B</th><th>C</th><th>D</th><th>E</th><th>F</th><th>G</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr ><td style="color: #161120;text-align: center;">16</td><td style=";">Year</td><td style=";">Month</td><td style="text-align: right;;">1</td><td style="text-align: right;;">2</td><td style="text-align: right;;">3</td><td style="text-align: right;;">4</td></tr><tr ><td style="color: #161120;text-align: center;">17</td><td style="text-align: right;;">2007</td><td style="text-align: right;;">1</td><td style="text-align: right;;">2.4854394</td><td style="text-align: right;;">2.430681566</td><td style="text-align: right;;">4.654653415</td><td style="text-align: right;;">1.534830858</td></tr><tr ><td style="color: #161120;text-align: center;">18</td><td style="text-align: right;;">2007</td><td style="text-align: right;;">2</td><td style="text-align: right;;">1.7146386</td><td style="text-align: right;;">#N/A</td><td style="text-align: right;;">#N/A</td><td style="text-align: right;;">#N/A</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="width:6.6em;font-weight:bold;margin:0;padding:0.2em 0.6em 0.2em 0.5em;border: 1px solid #BBB;border-top:none;text-align: center;background-color: #DAE7F5;color: #161120">Carbon Calc</p><br /><br /><table width="85%" cellpadding="2.5px" rules="all" style=";border: 2px solid black;border-collapse:collapse;padding: 0.4em;background-color: #FFFFFF" ><tr><td style="padding:6px" ><b>Worksheet Formulas</b><table cellpadding="2.5px" width="100%" rules="all" style="border: 1px solid;text-align:center;background-color: #FFFFFF;border-collapse: collapse; border-color: #BBB"><thead><tr style=" background-color: #DAE7F5;color: #161120"><th width="10px">Cell</th><th style="text-align:left;padding-left:5px;">Formula</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><th width="10px" style=" background-color: #DAE7F5;color: #161120">D17</th><td style="text-align:left">=INDEX(<font color="Blue">CO2_Production_Hcap_tbl[Seg 1],MATCH(<font color="Red">DATE(<font color="Green">[@Year],[@Month],1</font>),CO2_Production_Hcap_tbl[Period],0</font>)</font>)*INDEX(<font color="Blue">Savings_Shape_tbl,
MATCH(<font color="Red">COLUMN(<font color="Green">Carbon_Savings_tbl[[#Headers],[1]]</font>)-COLUMN(<font color="Green">Carbon_Savings_tbl[[#Headers],[Year]]</font>)-1,
Savings_Shape_tbl[Seg],
0</font>),
MATCH(<font color="Red">TEXT(<font color="Green">[@Month],0</font>),Savings_Shape_tbl[#Headers],0</font>)
</font>)/Pounds_per_ton</td></tr><tr><th width="10px" style=" background-color: #DAE7F5;color: #161120">E17</th><td style="text-align:left">=INDEX(<font color="Blue">CO2_Production_Hcap_tbl[Seg 2],MATCH(<font color="Red">DATE(<font color="Green">Carbon_Savings_tbl[[#Data],[Year]],Carbon_Savings_tbl[[#Data],[Month]],1</font>),CO2_Production_Hcap_tbl[[#Data],[Period]],0</font>)</font>)*INDEX(<font color="Blue">Savings_Shape_tbl,
MATCH(<font color="Red">COLUMN(<font color="Green">Carbon_Savings_tbl[[#Headers],[2]]</font>)-COLUMN(<font color="Green">Carbon_Savings_tbl[[#Headers],[Month]]</font>)-1,
Savings_Shape_tbl[Seg],
0</font>),
MATCH(<font color="Red">TEXT(<font color="Green">[@Month],0</font>),Savings_Shape_tbl[#Headers],0</font>)
</font>)/Pounds_per_ton</td></tr><tr><th width="10px" style=" background-color: #DAE7F5;color: #161120">F17</th><td style="text-align:left">=INDEX(<font color="Blue">CO2_Production_Hcap_tbl[Seg 3],MATCH(<font color="Red">DATE(<font color="Green">Carbon_Savings_tbl[[#Data],[Year]],Carbon_Savings_tbl[[#Data],[Month]],1</font>),CO2_Production_Hcap_tbl[[#Data],[Period]],0</font>)</font>)*INDEX(<font color="Blue">Savings_Shape_tbl,
MATCH(<font color="Red">COLUMN(<font color="Green">Carbon_Savings_tbl[[#Headers],[3]]</font>)-COLUMN(<font color="Green">Carbon_Savings_tbl[[#Headers],[Month]]</font>)-1,
Savings_Shape_tbl[Seg],
0</font>),
MATCH(<font color="Red">TEXT(<font color="Green">[@Month],0</font>),Savings_Shape_tbl[#Headers],0</font>)
</font>)/Pounds_per_ton</td></tr><tr><th width="10px" style=" background-color: #DAE7F5;color: #161120">G17</th><td style="text-align:left">=INDEX(<font color="Blue">CO2_Production_Hcap_tbl[Seg 4],MATCH(<font color="Red">DATE(<font color="Green">Carbon_Savings_tbl[[#Data],[Year]],Carbon_Savings_tbl[[#Data],[Month]],1</font>),CO2_Production_Hcap_tbl[[#Data],[Period]],0</font>)</font>)*INDEX(<font color="Blue">Savings_Shape_tbl,
MATCH(<font color="Red">COLUMN(<font color="Green">Carbon_Savings_tbl[[#Headers],[4]]</font>)-COLUMN(<font color="Green">Carbon_Savings_tbl[[#Headers],[Month]]</font>)-1,
Savings_Shape_tbl[Seg],
0</font>),
MATCH(<font color="Red">TEXT(<font color="Green">[@Month],0</font>),Savings_Shape_tbl[#Headers],0</font>)
</font>)/Pounds_per_ton</td></tr><tr><th width="10px" style=" background-color: #DAE7F5;color: #161120">D18</th><td style="text-align:left">=INDEX(<font color="Blue">CO2_Production_Hcap_tbl[Seg 1],MATCH(<font color="Red">DATE(<font color="Green"><b>[@Year],[@Month]</b>,1</font>),CO2_Production_Hcap_tbl[Period],0</font>)</font>)*INDEX(<font color="Blue">Savings_Shape_tbl,
MATCH(<font color="Red">COLUMN(<font color="Green">Carbon_Savings_tbl[[#Headers],[1]]</font>)-COLUMN(<font color="Green">Carbon_Savings_tbl[[#Headers],[Year]]</font>)-1,
Savings_Shape_tbl[Seg],
0</font>),
MATCH(<font color="Red">TEXT(<font color="Green">[@Month],0</font>),Savings_Shape_tbl[#Headers],0</font>)
</font>)/Pounds_per_ton</td></tr><tr><th width="10px" style=" background-color: #DAE7F5;color: #161120">E18</th><td style="text-align:left">=INDEX(<font color="Blue">CO2_Production_Hcap_tbl[Seg 2],MATCH(<font color="Red">DATE(<font color="Green"><b>[@Month],[@1]</b>,1</font>),CO2_Production_Hcap_tbl[Seg 1],0</font>)</font>)*INDEX(<font color="Blue">Savings_Shape_tbl,
MATCH(<font color="Red">COLUMN(<font color="Green">Carbon_Savings_tbl[[#Headers],[2]]</font>)-COLUMN(<font color="Green">Carbon_Savings_tbl[[#Headers],[Month]]</font>)-1,
Savings_Shape_tbl[1],
0</font>),
MATCH(<font color="Red">TEXT(<font color="Green">[@1],0</font>),Savings_Shape_tbl[#Headers],0</font>)
</font>)/Pounds_per_ton</td></tr><tr><th width="10px" style=" background-color: #DAE7F5;color: #161120">F18</th><td style="text-align:left">=INDEX(<font color="Blue">CO2_Production_Hcap_tbl[Seg 3],MATCH(<font color="Red">DATE(<font color="Green"><b>[@1],[@2]</b>,1</font>),CO2_Production_Hcap_tbl[Seg 2],0</font>)</font>)*INDEX(<font color="Blue">Savings_Shape_tbl,
MATCH(<font color="Red">COLUMN(<font color="Green">Carbon_Savings_tbl[[#Headers],[3]]</font>)-COLUMN(<font color="Green">Carbon_Savings_tbl[[#Headers],[1]]</font>)-1,
Savings_Shape_tbl[2],
0</font>),
MATCH(<font color="Red">TEXT(<font color="Green">[@2],0</font>),Savings_Shape_tbl[#Headers],0</font>)
</font>)/Pounds_per_ton</td></tr><tr><th width="10px" style=" background-color: #DAE7F5;color: #161120">G18</th><td style="text-align:left">=INDEX(<font color="Blue">CO2_Production_Hcap_tbl[Seg 4],MATCH(<font color="Red">DATE(<font color="Green"><b>[@2],[@3]</b>,1</font>),CO2_Production_Hcap_tbl[Seg 3],0</font>)</font>)*INDEX(<font color="Blue">Savings_Shape_tbl,
MATCH(<font color="Red">COLUMN(<font color="Green">Carbon_Savings_tbl[[#Headers],[4]]</font>)-COLUMN(<font color="Green">Carbon_Savings_tbl[[#Headers],[2]]</font>)-1,
Savings_Shape_tbl[3],
0</font>),
MATCH(<font color="Red">TEXT(<font color="Green">[@3],0</font>),Savings_Shape_tbl[#Headers],0</font>)
</font>)/Pounds_per_ton</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></table><br /><table width="85%" cellpadding="2.5px" rules="all" style=";border: 2px solid black;border-collapse:collapse;padding: 0.4em;background-color: #FFFFFF" ><tr><td style="padding:6px" ><b>Workbook Defined Names</b><table cellpadding="2.5px" width="100%" rules="all" style="border: 1px solid;text-align:center;background-color: #FFFFFF;border-collapse: collapse; border-color: #BBB"><thead><tr style=" background-color: #DAE7F5;color: #161120"><th width="10px">Name</th><th style="text-align:left">Refers To</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><th width="10px" style=" background-color: #DAE7F5;color: #161120">Pounds_per_ton</th><td style="text-align:left">=Lists!$I$3</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></table><br />

<b>Excel 2010: Savings_shape_tbl</b><table cellpadding="2.5px" rules="all" style=";background-color: #FFFFFF;border: 1px solid;border-collapse: collapse; border-color: #BBB"><colgroup><col width="25px" style="background-color: #DAE7F5" /><col /><col /><col /><col /><col /></colgroup><thead><tr style=" background-color: #DAE7F5;text-align: center;color: #161120"><th></th><th>C</th><th>D</th><th>E</th><th>F</th><th>G</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr ><td style="color: #161120;text-align: center;">9</td><td style=";">Seg</td><td style="text-align: right;;">1</td><td style="text-align: right;;">2</td><td style="text-align: right;;">3</td><td style="text-align: right;;">4</td></tr><tr ><td style="color: #161120;text-align: center;">10</td><td style="text-align: right;;">1</td><td style="text-align: right;;">6501.369</td><td style="text-align: right;;">4485.12164</td><td style="text-align: right;;">3771.891288</td><td style="text-align: right;;">3703.311446</td></tr><tr ><td style="color: #161120;text-align: center;">11</td><td style="text-align: right;;">2</td><td style="text-align: right;;">11836.881</td><td style="text-align: right;;">9587.461855</td><td style="text-align: right;;">8531.332294</td><td style="text-align: right;;">7324.327082</td></tr><tr ><td style="color: #161120;text-align: center;">12</td><td style="text-align: right;;">3</td><td style="text-align: right;;">3881.619</td><td style="text-align: right;;">3442.708048</td><td style="text-align: right;;">3840.471129</td><td style="text-align: right;;">2578.602044</td></tr><tr ><td style="color: #161120;text-align: center;">13</td><td style="text-align: right;;">4</td><td style="text-align: right;;">1591.0523</td><td style="text-align: right;;">1920.235565</td><td style="text-align: right;;">1234.437149</td><td style="text-align: right;;">809.2421308</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="width:6.6em;font-weight:bold;margin:0;padding:0.2em 0.6em 0.2em 0.5em;border: 1px solid #BBB;border-top:none;text-align: center;background-color: #DAE7F5;color: #161120">Carbon Calc</p><br /><br />
This gets pretty complicated pretty quickly, and I'm trying to keep track of what table is being referenced; Row(B$17:B24) doesn't help with this aim. I do appreciate the help, and that ROWS methodology will be helpful in a pinch. But is there really no way to just use a $-like function for tables?

Or am I just not getting it?