Excel Question - lowest value in column??

"Fred" wrote in message
...
I am trying to AUTOMATICALLY find the lowest value in a column. Now
the column values are derived from formulas, so it is not just a plain
numeric value. Yes, I can look down the column but computers should
do this for you (G)

I tried just pointing to a cell in the column but neither the sort
button, nor the menu, data, sort works - grayed out.

Thanks in advance

=MIN(range)

"Fred" wrote in message
...
I am trying to AUTOMATICALLY find the lowest value in a column. Now
the column values are derived from formulas, so it is not just a plain
numeric value. Yes, I can look down the column but computers should
do this for you (G)

I tried just pointing to a cell in the column but neither the sort
button, nor the menu, data, sort works - grayed out.

Thanks in advance

=MIN(range)

"Fred" wrote in message
...
Thanks.

Anyway to make that generic.

My column is B

So I did put in an expression:

=min(b1.b500)

and that worked but I don't have 500 items in the column but the
column may grow (hopefully, NOT ME), so a more flexible formula???

But would there be a way to just say COLUMN B?

To target anything in column B, use this formula:

=MIN(B:B)

And, now, any way to have it show which cell has that value? (G)

Again, thanks.

I'm not seeing any easy way to do that, but it seems like there should be a
way.

"Fred" wrote in message
...
Thanks.

Anyway to make that generic.

My column is B

So I did put in an expression:

=min(b1.b500)

and that worked but I don't have 500 items in the column but the
column may grow (hopefully, NOT ME), so a more flexible formula???

But would there be a way to just say COLUMN B?

To target anything in column B, use this formula:

=MIN(B:B)

And, now, any way to have it show which cell has that value? (G)

Again, thanks.

I'm not seeing any easy way to do that, but it seems like there should be a
way.

"Chrys" wrote in message
...
"Fred" wrote in message
...
Thanks.

Anyway to make that generic.

My column is B

So I did put in an expression:

=min(b1.b500)

and that worked but I don't have 500 items in the column but the
column may grow (hopefully, NOT ME), so a more flexible formula???

But would there be a way to just say COLUMN B?

To target anything in column B, use this formula:

=MIN(B:B)

And, now, any way to have it show which cell has that value? (G)

Again, thanks.

I'm not seeing any easy way to do that, but it seems like there should be
a
way.

Here's one way to get the lowest row marked. Let's say you wanted a "*" in
the column right next to your low value to mark it. In column C, you could
enter something like this in the first row of data (if row 1 is the heading,
and row 2 is where your data starts):

=IF(B2=MIN(B:B),"*","")

If the value in B in the same row was the lowest, it would show "*",
otherwise, it would leave the cell empty.

"Chrys" wrote in message
...
"Fred" wrote in message
...
Thanks.

Anyway to make that generic.

My column is B

So I did put in an expression:

=min(b1.b500)

and that worked but I don't have 500 items in the column but the
column may grow (hopefully, NOT ME), so a more flexible formula???

But would there be a way to just say COLUMN B?

To target anything in column B, use this formula:

=MIN(B:B)

And, now, any way to have it show which cell has that value? (G)

Again, thanks.

I'm not seeing any easy way to do that, but it seems like there should be
a
way.

Here's one way to get the lowest row marked. Let's say you wanted a "*" in
the column right next to your low value to mark it. In column C, you could
enter something like this in the first row of data (if row 1 is the heading,
and row 2 is where your data starts):

=IF(B2=MIN(B:B),"*","")

If the value in B in the same row was the lowest, it would show "*",
otherwise, it would leave the cell empty.

"Fred" wrote in message
...
Thanks.

Anyway to make that generic.

My column is B

So I did put in an expression:

=min(b1.b500)

and that worked but I don't have 500 items in the column but the
column may grow (hopefully, NOT ME), so a more flexible formula???

But would there be a way to just say COLUMN B?

And, now, any way to have it show which cell has that value? (G)

Again, thanks.

On Wed, 11 Aug 2004 12:32:24 -0700, "Chrys"
wrote:

"Fred" wrote in message
.. .
I am trying to AUTOMATICALLY find the lowest value in a column. Now
the column values are derived from formulas, so it is not just a plain
numeric value. Yes, I can look down the column but computers should
do this for you (G)

I tried just pointing to a cell in the column but neither the sort
button, nor the menu, data, sort works - grayed out.

Thanks in advance

=MIN(range)

You could name the range (Insertnamedefine) like "weight" and then the
formula would be =min(weight).

"Fred" wrote in message
...
Thanks.

Anyway to make that generic.

My column is B

So I did put in an expression:

=min(b1.b500)

and that worked but I don't have 500 items in the column but the
column may grow (hopefully, NOT ME), so a more flexible formula???

But would there be a way to just say COLUMN B?

And, now, any way to have it show which cell has that value? (G)

Again, thanks.

On Wed, 11 Aug 2004 12:32:24 -0700, "Chrys"
wrote:

"Fred" wrote in message
.. .
I am trying to AUTOMATICALLY find the lowest value in a column. Now
the column values are derived from formulas, so it is not just a plain
numeric value. Yes, I can look down the column but computers should
do this for you (G)

I tried just pointing to a cell in the column but neither the sort
button, nor the menu, data, sort works - grayed out.

Thanks in advance

=MIN(range)

You could name the range (Insertnamedefine) like "weight" and then the
formula would be =min(weight).

"Fred" wrote in message
...
Thanks.

Anyway to make that generic.

My column is B

So I did put in an expression:

=min(b1.b500)

and that worked but I don't have 500 items in the column but the
column may grow (hopefully, NOT ME), so a more flexible formula???

But would there be a way to just say COLUMN B?

And, now, any way to have it show which cell has that value? (G)

Again, thanks.

On Wed, 11 Aug 2004 12:32:24 -0700, "Chrys"
wrote:

"Fred" wrote in message
.. .
I am trying to AUTOMATICALLY find the lowest value in a column. Now
the column values are derived from formulas, so it is not just a plain
numeric value. Yes, I can look down the column but computers should
do this for you (G)

I tried just pointing to a cell in the column but neither the sort
button, nor the menu, data, sort works - grayed out.

Thanks in advance

=MIN(range)

You could name the range (Insertnamedefine) like "weight" and then the
formula would be =min(weight).

Either have I. I had to look around for it.

"Fred" wrote in message
...
Ohhhhhhh. I have not named a range since Lotus 123 (G)

On Wed, 11 Aug 2004 20:41:05 GMT, "Laura"
wrote:


"Fred" wrote in message
.. .
Thanks.

Anyway to make that generic.

My column is B

So I did put in an expression:

=min(b1.b500)

and that worked but I don't have 500 items in the column but the
column may grow (hopefully, NOT ME), so a more flexible formula???

But would there be a way to just say COLUMN B?

And, now, any way to have it show which cell has that value? (G)

Again, thanks.

On Wed, 11 Aug 2004 12:32:24 -0700, "Chrys"
wrote:

"Fred" wrote in message
.. .
I am trying to AUTOMATICALLY find the lowest value in a column. Now
the column values are derived from formulas, so it is not just a
plain
numeric value. Yes, I can look down the column but computers should
do this for you (G)

I tried just pointing to a cell in the column but neither the sort
button, nor the menu, data, sort works - grayed out.

Thanks in advance

=MIN(range)

You could name the range (Insertnamedefine) like "weight" and then
the
formula would be =min(weight).