See if this does what you want...

=IF(COUNTA(C2:N2)0,INDEX(B$1:N$1,SUMPRODUCT(MAX(( B2:M2<"Sold")*(C2:N2="Sold")*COLUMN(C2:N2)))-1),"")

It should ignore the word "Backorder" as well as any other text that is not
the word "Sold".

Rick


"Mac" wrote in message
...
Hi, I need one more little help:

The spreadsheet at work, in addition to say "Sold"... it also says the
word "backordered" on items which were on backorder that particular month.
When I put the formula in, it gives me errors in the rows that have both
cells with "Backorder" and "sold". How can I make the formula ignore
backorder so it does not return an error?

=IF(COUNTA(C2:N2)0,INDEX(B$1:N$1,SUMPRODUCT(MAX(( B2:M2="")*(C2:N2="Sold")*COLUMN(C2:N2)))-1),"")

Thanks again...
mac


"Mac" wrote in message
...
I have a problem I am trying to solve, which is hard to explain:

I have a spreadsheet that in row 1 starting in column B has the months:
Jan Feb Mar Apr ...........Dec (Columns B to M), in column N It has
"Last start selling"

The cells below the month show when the items have been sold.... in
Column N. I would like a formula in Column N (Last Start Selling)
which keeps on searching for the word Sold until the next column to the
left is Blank. The it stops and picks up the month from row 1 (this is
the easy part...)


Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Last
start selling
Item1 Sold Sold Sold Oct
Item 2 Sold Sold
Sold Dec
Item 3 Sold SoldSold Sold Jun

I hope this makes sense....

Thanks,
mac