Display last value from a row or column?

Question

I'm using Numbers 09 and want to display the last value entered in a column in another table.
For example in Table A I have columns set up by date with simple sums at the bottom of each column. I add new sums every day depending on the values from that day. What I'd like to do is get the last daily total and enter that value into another table called Table B. Is there a formula that will do that?
If I'm not being clear enough please let me know what additional information you need and I will be happy to provide it.
Thanks,
rkaufmann87

Answer 1

rkaufmann87 wrote:
Hi Barry,
Thanks for posting the example, not quite though. In your sample Table A is transferring all the totals to Table B. What I'd like is as I enter the data in the columns in Table A Table B then picks up the latest update in a single cell. For example lets say Table A's Column A is May 1 and the total is 45, let's say that sum is placed in A15. Table B automatically picks up A15 from Table A and makes a duplicate in Table B cell A1, then the next day Table A's Column B is May 2 and the total is 90 (cell B15), then Table B senses the latest total is 90 and enters that in cell A1 again. Is this possible?
Here's another go.
Table 1 has a second Header row added (row 2) Cells in this row contain the formula
=IF(A1=MAX($1:1),COLUMN(),"")
Which returns the column number of the cell in row 1 containing the latest date. (4) This number is used by Table 2 to determine the column from which to return the total in the bottom (footer) row. (see below)
A1 in Table 2 and Table 3 contain the same formula:
=MAX(Table 1 :: $1:1)
This returns the latest date from row 1 of Table 1.
A2 in Table 2 and Table 3 contain formulas that return the value in the bottom cell of the column containing the latest date in row 1.
Table 2:   =OFFSET(Table 1 :: $A$1,ROWS('May 1, 2010')-1,MAX(Table 1 :: $2:2)-1)
Table 3:   =OFFSET(Table 1 :: $A$1,ROWS('May 1, 2010')-1,COUNT(Table 1 :: $1:1)-1)
Both use the same base ($A$1) and the same row offset (ROWS('May 1, 2010')-1) to reach the bottom row of Table 1.
Table 2 uses the maximum (and only) numerical value in row 2 of Table 1 ( MAX(Table 1 :: $2:2) ), then subtracts 1 to reach the fourth column of table 1.
Table 3 uses the same means to determine the row offset, but counts the number of dates entered into row 1 of Table 1 ( COUNT(Table 1 :: $1:1) ), then subtracts 1 to reach the same cell.
I prefer the method in Table 3 because it avoids the need for the second Header row and the possibility of overwriting the formulas in that row. (Row 2 of Table 1 may be deleted without affecting Table 3.) It does require that there be no empty cells in Row 1 from Column A to the column containing the latest date.
Regards,
Barry