Final Friday Fix: April 2025 Challenge

On the final Friday of each month, we set an Excel / Power Pivot / Power Query / Power BI problem for you to puzzle over for the weekend.  On the Monday, we publish a solution.  If you think there is an alternative answer, feel free to email us.  We’ll feel free to ignore you.

The Challenge

This month’s Final Friday Fix invites you to create a searchable data validated drop down box using a method that would work in a perpetual licence version (e.g. Excel 2019) of Excel. 

A list is provided, containing a set of values:

You can download the original question file here. 

The requirements for this month’s challenge are as follows:

• the solution must work in a perpetual licence version of Excel (rather than Excel 365 or Excel online)
• you cannot use dynamic arrays
• you cannot use VBA, Office Scripts or any other programming code.

Sounds easy?  Then why not have a go?  We’ll publish one solution in Monday’s blog.  Have a great weekend in the meantime!