But how do I get round the two (improbable) successive equal readings or
where this months reading is smaller than last months reading because the
dials have gone full circle ?

I think that it you would have to tell Excel that the reading had gone round
the clock by - say - putting any entry in the cell above the second reading
cell - in the case of my example Row 1.

Change the formula to:

=MOD(LOOKUP(10^LEN(C2),D2:IV2)-LOOKUP(10^LEN(C2),D2:IV2,C2:IV2),10^LEN(C2))+((LOO KUP(10^LEN(C2),C2:IV2,C1:IV1)<"")*10^LEN(C2))*B2

If we now continue on with the same test and put 123 in H2 as well as G2,
the formula will return 0. If we then *tell* excel that the meter has
turned round by putting - say an R in H1 then the formula will then return
10000000. Similarly if we had entered 130 in H2 then we would have got
10000007

However, how would you know that the meter had turned round and past itself
again?

--
HTH

Sandy
In Perth, the ancient capital of Scotland


with @tiscali.co.uk


"Maria Tracey" wrote in message
...
"Sandy Mann" wrote in message
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"Maria Tracey" wrote in message
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Should B10 be B2 ?

Yes it should - you are better than I am! <g

As to why it does not work - what do you mean by does not work? do you
get a zero returned? nothing? or a wrong answer?

Must have been the formatting I think! <g

But how do I get round the two (improbable) successive equal readings or
where this months reading is smaller than last months reading because the
dials have gone full circle ?

Thanks

You're so patient !