Selecting the last value of a column

Question

I have a spreadsheet with some values in column G. Some cells are empty in between, and I need to get the last value from that column into another cell.

Something like:

=LAST(G2:G9999)

except that LAST isn't a function.

Answer 1

Similar answer to caligari's answer, but we can tidy it up by just specifying the full column range:

=INDEX(G2:G, COUNT(G2:G))

Answer 2

So this solution takes a string as its parameter. It finds how many rows are in the sheet. It gets all the values in the column specified. It loops through the values from the end to the beginning until it finds a value that is not an empty string. Finally it retunrs the value.

Script:

function lastValue(column) {
  var lastRow = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSheet().getMaxRows();
  var values = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSheet().getRange(column + "1:" + column + lastRow).getValues();

  for (; values[lastRow - 1] == "" && lastRow > 0; lastRow--) {}
  return values[lastRow - 1];
}

Usage:

=lastValue("G")

EDIT:

In response to the comment asking for the function to update automatically:

The best way I could find is to use this with the code above:

function onEdit(event) {
  SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSheet().getRange("A1").setValue(lastValue("G"));
}

It would no longer be required to use the function in a cell like the Usage section states. Instead you are hard coding the cell you would like to update and the column you would like to track. It is possible that there is a more eloquent way to implement this (hopefully one that is not hard coded), but this is the best I could find for now.

Note that if you use the function in cell like stated earlier, it will update upon reload. Maybe there is a way to hook into onEdit() and force in cell functions to update. I just can't find it in the documentation.

Answer 3

Actually I found a simpler solution here:

http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/Google+Docs/thread?tid=20f1741a2e663bca&hl=en

It looks like this:

=FILTER( A10:A100 , ROW(A10:A100) =MAX( FILTER( ArrayFormula(ROW(A10:A100)) , NOT(ISBLANK(A10:A100)))))

Answer 4

LAST() function is not implemented at the moment in order to select the last cell within a range. However, following your example:

=LAST(G2:G9999)

we are able to obtain last cell using the couple of functions INDEX() and COUNT() in this way:

=INDEX(G2:G; COUNT(G2:G))

There is a live example at the spreedsheet where I have found (and solved) the same problem (sheet Orzamentos, cell I5). Note that it works perfectly even refering to other sheets within the document.

Answer 5

Summary:

=INDEX( FILTER( G2:G , NOT(ISBLANK(G2:G))) , COUNTA(G2:G) )

Details:

I've looked through and tried several answers, and here's what I've found: The simplest solution (see Dohmoose' answer) works if there are no blanks:

=INDEX(G2:G; COUNT(G2:G))

If you have blanks, it fails.

You can handle one blank by just changing from COUNT to COUNTA (See user3280071's answer):

=INDEX(G2:G; COUNTA(G2:G))

However, this will fail for some combinations of blanks. (1 blank 1 blank 1 fails for me.)

The following code works (See Nader's answer and jason's comment):

=INDEX( FILTER( G2:G , NOT(ISBLANK(G2:G))) , ROWS( FILTER( G2:G , NOT(ISBLANK(G2:G)) ) ) )

but it requires thinking about whether you want to use COLUMNS or ROWS for a given range.

However, if COLUMNS is replaced with COUNT I seem to get a reliable, blank-proof implementation of LAST:

=INDEX( FILTER( G2:G , NOT(ISBLANK(G2:G))) , COUNT( FILTER( G2:G , NOT(ISBLANK(G2:G)) ) ) ) 

And since COUNTA has the filter built in, we can simplify further using

=INDEX( FILTER( G2:G , NOT(ISBLANK(G2:G))) , COUNTA(G2:G) )

This is somewhat simple, and correct. And you don't have to worry about whether to count rows or columns. And unlike script solutions, it automatically updates with changes to the spreadsheet.

And if you want to get the last value in a row, just change the data range:

=INDEX( FILTER( A2:2 , NOT(ISBLANK(A2:2))) , COUNTA(A2:2) )

Answer 6

In order to return the last value from a column of text values you need to use COUNTA, so you would need this formula:

=INDEX(G2:G; COUNTA(G2:G))

Answer 7

try this: =INDIRECT("B"&arrayformula(max((B3:B<>"")*row(B3:B))))

Suppose the column in which you are looking for the last value is B.

And yes, it works with blanks.

Answer 8

This one works for me:

=INDEX(I:I;MAX((I:I<>"")*(ROW(I:I))))

Answer 9

I looked at the previous answers and they seem like they're working too hard. Maybe scripting support has simply improved. I think the function is expressed like this:

function lastValue(myRange) {
    lastRow = myRange.length;
    for (; myRange[lastRow - 1] == "" && lastRow > 0; lastRow--)
    { /*nothing to do*/ }
    return myRange[lastRow - 1];
}

In my spreadsheet I then use:

= lastValue(E17:E999)

In the function, I get an array of values with one per referenced cell and this just iterates from the end of the array backwards until it finds a non-empty value or runs out of elements. Sheet references should be interpreted before the data is passed to the function. Not fancy enough to handle multi-dimensions, either. The question did ask for the last cell in a single column, so it seems to fit. It will probably die on if you run out of data, too.

Your mileage may vary, but this works for me.

Answer 10

It looks like Google Apps Script now supports ranges as function parameters. This solution accepts a range:

// Returns row number with the last non-blank value in a column, or the first row
//   number if all are blank.
// Example: =rowWithLastValue(a2:a, 2)
// Arguments
//   range: Spreadsheet range.
//   firstRow: Row number of first row. It would be nice to pull this out of
//     the range parameter, but the information is not available.
function rowWithLastValue(range, firstRow) {
  // range is passed as an array of values from the indicated spreadsheet cells.
  for (var i = range.length - 1;  i >= 0;  -- i) {
    if (range[i] != "")  return i + firstRow;
  }
  return firstRow;
}

Also see discussion in Google Apps Script help forum: How do I force formulas to recalculate?

Answer 11

function lastRow(column){
  var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet();
  var lastRow = sheet.getLastRow();
  var lastRowRange=sheet.getRange(column+startRow);
  return lastRowRange.getValue();
}

no hard coding.

Answer 12

This gets the last value and handles empty values:

=INDEX(  FILTER( H:H ; NOT(ISBLANK(H:H))) ; ROWS( FILTER( H:H ; NOT(ISBLANK(H:H)) ) ) )

Answer 13

In a column with blanks, you can get the last value with

=+sort(G:G,row(G:G)*(G:G<>""),)

Answer 14

The answer

$ =INDEX(G2:G; COUNT(G2:G))

doesn't work correctly in LibreOffice. However, with a small change, it works perfectly.

$ =INDEX(G2:G100000; COUNT(G2:G100000))

It always works only if the true range is smaller than (G2:G10000)

Answer 15

Is it acceptable to answer the original question with a strictly off topic answer:) You can write a formula in the spreadsheet to do this. Ugly perhaps? but effective in the normal operating of a spreadsheet.

=indirect("R"&ArrayFormula(max((G:G<>"")*row(G:G)))&"C"&7)


(G:G<>"") gives an array of true false values representing non-empty/empty cells
(G:G<>"")*row(G:G) gives an array of row numbers with zeros where cell is empty
max((G:G<>"")*row(G:G)) is the last non-empty cell in G

This is offered as a thought for a range of questions in the script area that could be delivered reliably with array formulas which have the advantage of often working in similar fashion in excel and openoffice.

Answer 16

function getDashboardSheet(spreadsheet) {
  var sheetName = 'Name';
  return spreadsheet.getSheetByName(sheetName);
}
      var spreadsheet = SpreadsheetApp.openByUrl(SPREADSHEET_URL);  
      var dashboardSheet = getDashboardSheet(spreadsheet);
      Logger.log('see:'+dashboardSheet.getLastRow());

Answer 17

I was playing with the code given by @tinfini, and thought people might benefit from what I think is a slightly more elegant solution (note I don't think scripts worked quite the same way when he created the original answer)...

//Note that this function assumes a single column of values, it will 
//not  function properly if given a multi-dimensional array (if the 
//cells that are captured are not in a single row).

function LastInRange(values) 
{
  for (index = values.length - 1; values[index] == "" && index > 0; index--) {}
  return String(values[index]);
}

In usage it would look like this:

=LastInRange(D2:D)

Answer 18

I found another way may be it will help you

=INDEX( SORT( A5:D ; 1 ; FALSE) ; 1 ) -will return last row

More info from anab here: https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups=#!topic/How-to-Documents/if0_fGVINmI

Answer 19

Regarding @Jon_Schneider's comment, if the column has blank cells just use COUNTA()

=INDEX(G2:G; COUNT**A**(G2:G))

Answer 20

Found a slight variation that worked to eliminate blanks from the bottom of the table. =index(G2:G,COUNTIF(G2:G,"<>"))

Answer 21

I'm surprised no one had ever given this answer before. But this should be the shortest and it even works in excel :

=ARRAYFORMULA(LOOKUP(2,1/(G2:G<>""),G2:G))

G2:G<>"" creates a array of 1/true(1) and 1/false(0). Since LOOKUP does a top down approach to find 2 and Since it'll never find 2,it comes up to the last non blank row and gives the position of that.

The other way to do this, as others might've mentioned, is:

=INDEX(G2:G,MAX((ISBLANK(G2:G)-1)*-ROW(G2:G))-1)

Finding the MAXimum ROW of the non blank row and feeding it to INDEX

In a zero blank interruption array, Using INDIRECT RC notation with COUNTBLANK is another option. If V4:V6 is occupied with entries, then,

V18:

=INDIRECT("R[-"&COUNTBLANK(V4:V17)+1&"]C",0)

will give the position of V6.

Answer 22

to get the last value from a column you can also use MAX function with IF function

=ARRAYFORMULA(INDIRECT("G"&MAX(IF(G:G<>"", ROW(G:G), )), 4)))

Answer 23

I have gone through way too many of these implementations of last-row for a specific column. Many solutions work but are slow for large or multiple datasets. One of my use cases requires me to check the last row in specific columns across multiple spreadsheets. What I have found is that taking the whole column as a range and then iterating through it is too slow, and adding a few of these together makes the script sluggish.

My "hack" has been this formula:

=ROW(index(sheet!A2:A,max(row(sheet!A2:A)*(sheet!A2:A<>""))))-1

• Example: Add this to Cell A1, to find the last row in column A. Can be added anywhere, just make sure to manage the "-1" at the end depending on which row the formula is placed. You can also place this is another col, rather than the one you're trying to count, and you don't need to manage the -1. You could also count FROM a starting Row, like "C16:C" - will count values C16 onwards

• This formula is reliably giving me the last row, including blanks in the middle of the dataset

• To use this value in my GS code, I am simply reading the cell value from A1. I understand that Google is clear that spreadsheet functions like read/write are heavy (time-consuming), but this is much faster than column count last-row methods in my experience (for large datasets)

• To make this efficient, I am getting the last row in a col once, then saving it as a global variable and incrementing in my code to track which rows I should be updating. Reading the cell every-time your loop needs to make an update will be too inefficient. Read once, iterate the value, and the A1 cell formula (above) is "storing" the updated value for the next time your function runs

Please let me know if this was helpful to you! If I encounter any issues I will comment on this answer.

Answer 24

=QUERY({G2:G9999,ARRAYFORMULA(ROW(G2:G9999))},"Select Col1 where Col1 is not null Order By Col2 desc limit 1",0)

In the query, Col1 refers to column G, and Col2 refers to a virtual column, populated with the row numbers returned by ARRAYFORMULA(ROW(G2:G9999)).

I haven't evaluated the other answers, so I can't say if this is the best way, but it worked for me.

Bonus: to return the first non-empty cell:
QUERY({G2:G9999},"Select Col1 where Col1 is not null limit 1",0)

Refs: QUERY, ARRAYFORMULA, ROW.