Formula to search for given term, and if not found in column to add it to list

Basically, I have a list of stock symbols in column A that goes down about a thousand cells. I occasionally add to this list. Usually I just search (or use find feature) to see if I already have a given stock on the list, and if it is there then I ignore, but if it isn't I add it to the bottom.

I want to create a cell / box / formula on top where I will be able to enter a stock symbol (i.e., "IBM") and this box/cell/etc. will either return that the symbol is already on the list, or if it is not on the list will automatically add it to the list.

I have this so far which tells me only if a symbol already exists
=MATCH("IBM", A1:A500, 0) , which may be the wrong approach to start with, and that helps to see if a symbol is on the list, though I need something that will automatically add the symbol to the list if not found.

Thanks for help in advance!!

Hi!

To do exactly what you want will require VBA code. I can't help with that
but you could do almost the same thing using Data Validation.

You would "attempt" to add the symbol to the list. If it already exists the
validation will not let you enter it. If it doesn't exist the validation
will let you enter it. Is that something you might want to do?

Biff

"financier" <financier.2at63j_1152667211.5113@excelforum-nospam.com> wrote
in message news:financier.2at63j_1152667211.5113@excelforum-nospam.com...
>
> Basically, I have a list of stock symbols in column A that goes down
> about a thousand cells. I occasionally add to this list. Usually I just
> search (or use find feature) to see if I already have a given stock on
> the list, and if it is there then I ignore, but if it isn't I add it to
> the bottom.
>
> I want to create a cell / box / formula on top where I will be able to
> enter a stock symbol (i.e., "IBM") and this box/cell/etc. will either
> return that the symbol is already on the list, or if it is not on the
> list will automatically add it to the list.
>
> I have this so far which tells me only if a symbol already exists
> =MATCH("IBM", A1:A500, 0) , which may be the wrong approach to start
> with, and that helps to see if a symbol is on the list, though I need
> something that will automatically add the symbol to the list if not
> found.
>
> Thanks for help in advance!!
>
>
> --
> financier
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> financier's Profile:
> http://www.excelforum.com/member.php...o&userid=36260
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>

Thanks, I'll look into that. Any other ideas folks? I got the first half down using a formula, to find that a symbol is there using MATCH, but the rest I"m clueless on...

You can't get a formula to "push" a value to another cell, so you could
not automatically add a missing item to the list - you will need VBA
for that.

Hope this helps.

Pete

financier wrote:
> Thanks, I'll look into that. Any other ideas folks? I got the first half
> down using a formula, to find that a symbol is there using MATCH, but
> the rest I"m clueless on...
>
>
> --
> financier
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> financier's Profile: http://www.excelforum.com/member.php...o&userid=36260
> View this thread: http://www.excelforum.com/showthread...hreadid=560523