Free Practice Workbook
There is another lookup formula that you can use that will return the intersection of two Named Ranges!
This is done by using the SUM formula and entering a Named Range for the 1st argument and then pressing the SPACE BAR on your keyboard (thus activating the intersection) and entering a 2nd Named Range.
This combination will look at the intersection of the 1st Named Range and the 2nd Named Range and return that cell’s value. I show you how below…
Download excel workbookSum-Interesction.xlsx
STEP 1: Highlight your data which has to have Column headings and Row headings, just like the table below:
STEP 2: Go to the ribbon menu and select Formulas > Create from Selection
STEP 3: This will bring up the Create Names from Selection dialogue box. Choose the Top Row and Left Column boxes, as this is where your headings are located and press OK:
STEP 4: In the ribbon menu, go to Formulas > Name Manager to see the Named Ranges that were created in Step 3
You can double click on a Named Range and click on the Refers to area to see the range (press ESC to get out of this screen):
STEP 5: Enter the SUM function and in the first argument type in the 1st Named Range:
=SUM(EUROPE
STEP 6: Enter a SPACE after the 1st argument. Now type in the 2nd Named Range:
=SUM(EUROPE MAR)
This will return the intersection of the 1st and 2nd Named Ranges:
You can even make this formula interactive by inserting a drop down menu (data validation) for the Months and the Regions!
John Michaloudis is a former accountant and finance analyst at General Electric, a Microsoft MVP since 2020, an Amazon #1 bestselling author of 4 Microsoft Excel books and teacher of Microsoft Excel & Office over at his flagship MyExcelOnline Academy Online Course.
