Complicated IF/INDEX/MATCH

[EP123]

I have what I *think* is just a complicated IF/INDEX/MATCH problem that I have not quite been able to figure out. Hoping someone here can help.

I have two data sets which I am trying to merge. Dataset 1 contains a series of cases defined by a 9-digit serial number, a 4-digit ID number (this is needed as a unique identifier because the same serial # may appear multiple times in the set), a date, and a few columns of additional data. Dataset 2 contains 9-digit serial numbers, dates, and again, a few columns of (different) data. In this set, there are again multiple entries per serial number, but there is no unique identifying 4-digit ID number. The sets overlap completely in that they contain the same 9-digit serial numbers, but there are far more rows/entries in dataset 2.

To properly merge these sets, what I need to do is assign the right 4-digit ID number (along with corresponding date and data) from set 1 to the 9-digit serial numbers in set 2. Usually, for this type of problem, INDEX/MATCH is the solution I employ. However, what makes this a bit more complicated is that there are multiple unique 4-digit ID numbers for many of the 9-digit serial numbers (with the differentiating variable being a date), but simple INDEX/MATCH will only result in assigning one ID number to a given serial number. The right choice of ID number is a function of serial number AND date, and I cannot figure out how to create a formula to incorporate both of these properly.

Below I have provided some example data, including desired output. Basically, I want to match on serial number and merge "pet" data from dataset 1 with dataset 2 provided that the corresponding date for that entry in dataset 1 occurred before the date in for the ID number in dataset 2.

Example Set 1:

Serial #	Pet	Date of Pet purchase
002241081	cat	3/23/2012
002241081	dinosaur	3/13/2013
002241081	cow	8/24/2010
002241081	bird	9/24/2013
002241081	frog	10/13/2010
002241081	snake	4/6/2012

<tbody>
</tbody>

Example Set 2:

ID #	Serial #	Date of score	Score
1098	002241081	6/21/2012	2R
2056	002241081	3/6/2013	1R
1115	002241081	6/18/2013	2R
2251	002241081	7/25/2014	2R

<tbody>
</tbody>

Ideal merged table appearance (though other forms of merge would be ok if this is too difficult - I can make data more 'wide' later):

ID #	Serial #	Date of score	Score	Pet 1	Pet 2	Pet 3	Pet 4	Pet 5	Pet 6
1098	002241081	6/21/2012	2R	cow	frog	cat	snake
2056	002241081	3/6/2013	1R	cow	frog	cat	snake
1115	002241081	6/18/2013	2R	cow	frog	cat	snake	dinosaur
2251	002241081	7/25/2014	2R	cow	frog	cat	snake	dinosaur	bird

<tbody>
</tbody>

Any help from experts or ambitious amateurs would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Fluff]

Re: Complicated IF/INDEX/MATCH problem (I think...)

How about

Excel 2013/2016
	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H	I	J	K	L	M	N	O	P	Q	R
1	Serial #	Pet	Date of Pet purchase			ID #	Serial #	Date of score	Score
2	2241081	cat	23/03/2012			1098	2241081	21/06/2012	2R	cat	cow	frog	snake
3	2241081	dinosaur	13/03/2013			2056	2241081	06/03/2013	1R	cat	cow	frog	snake
4	2241081	cow	24/08/2010			1115	2241081	18/06/2013	2R	cat	dinosaur	cow	frog	snake
5	2241081	bird	24/09/2013			2251	2241081	25/07/2014	2R	cat	dinosaur	cow	bird	frog	snake
6	2241081	frog	13/10/2010
7	2241081	snake	06/04/2012
Sheet6

Cell Formulas
Range	Formula
J2	{=IFERROR(INDEX($B$2:$B$7,SMALL(IF(($A$2:$A$7=$G2)*($C$2:$C$7<=$H2),ROW($A$2:$A$7)-ROW($A$2)+1),COLUMNS($A:A))),"")}
Press CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER to enter array formulas.

 

[EP123]

Re: Complicated IF/INDEX/MATCH problem (I think...)

Worked like a charm. Thank you, Dave2018!


Fluff, apologies for double post. I had a log out/log in issue and wasn't sure post had gone through. I waited 10 minutes, saw no sign of the thread, so re-posted. I will wait a bit longer next time.