Return the item that is the same for two ranges

[Mandark]

Hi,

I have two ranges of cells. I would like to check if there is an item in both of those ranges and if so, to return the item.

Example:

Range1	Range2	Return value
Adam	Zoe	Adam
Betty	Xenia
Chris	Adam
Danny
Eva
...

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</tbody>

Assumption: Item exists and there is only one. Therefore the formula doesn't have to take into account other situations.

Thanks for help.

 

[pgc01]

Hi

Try:

=IFERROR(LOOKUP(2,1/COUNTIF(Range1,Range2),Range2),"Not found")

 

[Mandark]

Hi

Try:

=IFERROR(LOOKUP(2,1/COUNTIF(Range1,Range2),Range2),"Not found")

It works, wonderful! Thanks.

 

[pgc01]

You're welcome.

 

[Mandark]

Oops, problem. My assumption was wrong. There can multiple items from the Range2 in the Range1. Example: both "Adam" and "Betty" in Range1. Is there a way to search from the one side (top or bottom)? The Range1 is actually sideways (one row, multiple columns), so I would need it to search from the right.

 

[Aladin Akyurek]

Oops, problem. My assumption was wrong. There can multiple items from the Range2 in the Range1. Example: both "Adam" and "Betty" in Range1. Is there a way to search from the one side (top or bottom)? The Range1 is actually sideways (one row, multiple columns), so I would need it to search from the right.

A1: adam, B1: betty, C1: adam, D1: rick, E1: jon

H1: rick, I1: jon, J1: adam

Given these two horizontal ranges, what would be the expected output?

 

[Mandark]

A1: adam, B1: betty, C1: adam, D1: rick, E1: jon

H1: rick, I1: jon, J1: adam

Given these two horizontal ranges, what would be the expected output?

The ranges are following:
Range1
A1: Adam, B1: Betty, C1: Chris, D1: Danny, E1: Eva, ...

Range2
A1: Zoe
A2: Danny
A3: Chris


You see, there is both Danny and Chris in the both ranges. The current formula finds the first record, which is Chris.

What I need for my purposes is to go from the right side and find Danny.

 

[pgc01]

Hi

Switch Range1 and Range2 in the formula.

 

[Mandark]

Hi

Switch Range1 and Range2 in the formula.

You're the real MVP!!!

 

[pgc01]

I'm glad it helped.

... The current formula finds the first record, which is Chris. ...

For the sake of clarity the formula is always finding the last value. It is not designed to find the first value.

In the first case it was finding the last value in Range2 and in the second case it's finding the last value in Range1.

You can do some tests with several strings common to the 2 ranges and you'll see that it's always the last value found, either in Range1 or in Range2 depending on you using the first or the second formula.