Excel help

[flybye023]

Ok, I either need the name of the function I'm trying to do (if it exists) to look it up on my own or steps if anyone knows them.

Say I have a total of $15,681 and I have a list of smaller numbers that could equal that but not all of them will. Is there a function that will pick which of my list of numbers equals 15,681? Also, can it do estimates? (Our system rounds up to the nearest dollar plus sometimes people will enter the wrong number so I have a leeway of +/- $20).

[thansal]

a bit of google-fu, and having done a bunch of self training in excel leads me to this:

http://www.mrexcel.com/pc09.shtml

I haven't tested that macro, but Mr Excel tends to be fairly reliable. That said, it doesn't work for your +/- $20, and it's likely to:
1) Take a while (exponential growth of the possible combination).
2) Give you multiple solutions, especially if you try to work in that +/- $20, and even more so if the numbers are relatively close.

honestly, I would say this:
Your problem likely has a much simpler human solution than computational one. I assume your problem is similar to the posted challenge (you have a sum, but are unsure which orders it is for). If so, the proper solution (if at all possible) is call up the person who gave you the sum and ask wth it was for :P

[emax4]

I'm needing some help myself, but I went to Mr. Excel yesterday and my work PC got infected. Soo, im avoiding that..

As far as an estimate, I would do a table of figures. Start with column G and enter the items. Column H will be the regular price of those items. Go to column F and enter:

=H1-5

then copy it down the rest of the column until you reach the last item. Repeat the same for column E and type in :

=H1-10

Repeat the process for -15 and -20. Then on column I, J,K, and L you can do H+5, H+10, H+15, H+20. This way you'll have somewhat of a spread over the estimates in the meantime.