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How to pinpoint specific date from limiting ranges

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  1. #1
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    Exclamation How to pinpoint specific date from limiting ranges

    hello. i am writing a historical novel. i need to set it in a year that overlaps with multiple historical events. ie. i want to find a specific year in which all of the historical events are occurring.
    example:
    george bush is president from 2000-2008
    a talk show host has televised from 1990 to 2020
    the antarctic war takes place from 2001-2015

    I need to pinpoint an exact year in which all of these events are occurring. the problem is, with my novel, the dates are much longer and there are MANY, MANY more events.
    In the case above, a possible date would have to be between 2001 and 2008, because all 3 events take place during this period of time.
    Please, please PLEASE help! You would be a savior! I will send money!

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    Re: How to pinpoint specific date from limiting ranges

    Hello narbit and welcome to the forum!

    Consider listing down all years beginning 1900 (say) to 2025 (say) in Column A.

    List your events with start year and end year in 3 columns.
    Column C - Event name
    Column D - Start year
    Column E - End year

    In Column B against each year you could then find out the common period between these time ranges using an array formula.
    =IF(AND(A2>=StartDates,A2<=EndDates),A2,"") copied won
    Confirmed with Ctrl+Shift+Enter and not just Enter

    Note the defined name ranges to capture the StartDates and EndDates.

    Is this something you can work off?
    Attached Files Attached Files
    Life's a spreadsheet, Excel!
    Say thanks, Click *

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    Re: How to pinpoint specific date from limiting ranges

    Hi again! I've been working very hard on my spreadsheet, and I think I've got it down, except I can't get the spreadsheet to give me the answers when I press Ctrl+shift+enter. I'm a newbie at excel, so I'm probably neglecting something really simple. Here's what I have. Thanks so much for helping me!
    Attached Files Attached Files

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    Re: How to pinpoint specific date from limiting ranges

    Oh my god! Thank you so much! You are incredible! Thank you! You have NO IDEA how much this is appreciated! Thank you!!!

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    Re: How to pinpoint specific date from limiting ranges

    @ narbit

    Based on your last post it seems that you are satisfied with the solution(s) you've received but you haven't marked your thread as SOLVED. I'll do that for you now but please keep in mind for your future threads that Rule #9 requires you to do that yourself. If your problem has not been solved you can use Thread Tools (located above your first post) and choose "Mark this thread as unsolved".
    Thanks.

    Also, as a new member of the forum, you may not be aware that you can thank those who have helped you by clicking the small star icon located in the lower left corner of the post in which the help was given. By doing so you can add to the reputation(s) of those who helped.

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    Re: How to pinpoint specific date from limiting ranges

    I cant open your file for some reason. What is the error you are facing?

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    Re: How to pinpoint specific date from limiting ranges

    well, I don't exactly understand how you end up getting the final "answer." here it is again. and if not. here is a google docs link. thank you so much for continuing to help me!

    https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/...EpBNmdsQ2tOMXc
    Attached Files Attached Files

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    Re: How to pinpoint specific date from limiting ranges

    In your given example, there are no common overlapping dates across all the historic events, hence no dates will be highlighted in column B.

    See attached.
    Attached Files Attached Files

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    Re: How to pinpoint specific date from limiting ranges

    Okay, I have deleted the non-overlapping event. The rest of them do, in fact overlap. But I'm still getting no results. After I input the values are the corresponding dates just supposed to show up in column B, or do I have to do something to make the appear?
    https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/...G9ReDhhbE5KSkE
    Attached Files Attached Files

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    Re: How to pinpoint specific date from limiting ranges

    The NAME error is on acount of the names not being defined in your worksheet.

    Please ensure that the 'StartDates' and 'EndDates' are defined name ranges, else the formula will not work. See the attached worksheets in my earlier posts.

    More on defiend name ranges and how they work here..
    http://www.cpearson.com/excel/DefinedNames.aspx

    Trust this helps!

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    Re: How to pinpoint specific date from limiting ranges

    thanks so much! everything is fine now!

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