Skip to main content

How to easily rank numbers skip blank cells in Excel?

In general, if there are some blank cells in a list, while you applying the Rank function to rank the list, the ranking results of blank cells will be displayed as errors. But are there any ways that can rank values skipping the blank cells and just leave empty as below screenshot shown? In this article, I introduce some formulas to quickly rank values ignore the empty cells in Excel.
doc rank skip blanks 1

Rank values skip blank cells in ascending order

Rank values skip blank cells in descending order


arrow blue right bubble Rank values skip blank cells in ascending order

To rank values skip blank cells ascending, you need to create two helper columns first.

1. Select a blank cell next to the list you want to rank, B2 for instances, type this formula =IF(ISBLANK($A2),"",VALUE($A2&"."&(ROW()-ROW($B$2)))), and drag auto fill handle down to fill cells with this formula. See screenshot:
doc rank skip blanks 2

In the formula, A2 is the first cell of the list you want to rank, B2 is the first cell you place the formula.

2. Then go to next cell, C2 for example, type this formula =SMALL($B$2:$B$8,ROW()-ROW($C$1)) and drag fill handle down to fill cells with this formula. See screenshot:
doc rank skip blanks 3

In the formula, B2:B8 is the range which uses first formula, and C1 is the cell above the cell you apply this formula.

3. In the cell D2, you can rank the values in ascending order. Type this formula =IFERROR(MATCH($B2,$C$2:$C$8,0),""), drag fill handle down to apply this formula to the cells. See screenshot:
doc rank skip blanks 4

In this formula, B2 is the first cell which applies the first formula, C2:C8 is the range applies the second formula.


arrow blue right bubble Rank values skip blank cells in descending order

If you want to rank numbers ignore blanks in descending order, you just need to apply one formula.

Select a cell which will rank numbers, and then type this formula, =IF(ISNA(RANK(A2,A$2:A$8)),"",RANK(A2,A$2:A$8)), drag autofill handle down to the cells you need to apply this formula.

In the formula, A2 is the first cell of the list you want to rank, A2:A8 is the list you need to rank.
doc rank skip blanks 5

Best Office Productivity Tools

🤖 Kutools AI Aide: Revolutionize data analysis based on: Intelligent Execution   |  Generate Code  |  Create Custom Formulas  |  Analyze Data and Generate Charts  |  Invoke Kutools Functions…
Popular Features: Find, Highlight or Identify Duplicates   |  Delete Blank Rows   |  Combine Columns or Cells without Losing Data   |   Round without Formula ...
Super Lookup: Multiple Criteria VLookup    Multiple Value VLookup  |   VLookup Across Multiple Sheets   |   Fuzzy Lookup ....
Advanced Drop-down List: Quickly Create Drop Down List   |  Dependent Drop Down List   |  Multi-select Drop Down List ....
Column Manager: Add a Specific Number of Columns  |  Move Columns  |  Toggle Visibility Status of Hidden Columns  |  Compare Ranges & Columns ...
Featured Features: Grid Focus   |  Design View   |   Big Formula Bar    Workbook & Sheet Manager   |  Resource Library (Auto Text)   |  Date Picker   |  Combine Worksheets   |  Encrypt/Decrypt Cells    Send Emails by List   |  Super Filter   |   Special Filter (filter bold/italic/strikethrough...) ...
Top 15 Toolsets12 Text Tools (Add Text, Remove Characters, ...)   |   50+ Chart Types (Gantt Chart, ...)   |   40+ Practical Formulas (Calculate age based on birthday, ...)   |   19 Insertion Tools (Insert QR Code, Insert Picture from Path, ...)   |   12 Conversion Tools (Numbers to Words, Currency Conversion, ...)   |   7 Merge & Split Tools (Advanced Combine Rows, Split Cells, ...)   |   ... and more

Supercharge Your Excel Skills with Kutools for Excel, and Experience Efficiency Like Never Before. Kutools for Excel Offers Over 300 Advanced Features to Boost Productivity and Save Time.  Click Here to Get The Feature You Need The Most...

Description


Office Tab Brings Tabbed interface to Office, and Make Your Work Much Easier

  • Enable tabbed editing and reading in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, Access, Visio and Project.
  • Open and create multiple documents in new tabs of the same window, rather than in new windows.
  • Increases your productivity by 50%, and reduces hundreds of mouse clicks for you every day!
Comments (2)
No ratings yet. Be the first to rate!
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
How would you do this if your source numbers have decimals?
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
If you want to sort numbers with decimals, you can take refere to this article https://www.extendoffice.com/documents/excel/3662-excel-sort-decimal-numbers.html
There are no comments posted here yet
Please leave your comments in English
Posting as Guest
Rate this post:
0   Characters
Suggested Locations