Excel multiple lookups

[Jawloms]

Morning,

 

I would like to create a spreadsheet which gives me ingredients based on a meal chosen, but want it to have multiple levels. For example;

 

You choose Carbonara. The recipe for Carbonara has in it things like "Chicken, Ham, Pasta, Cheese Sauce", but the "Cheese Sauce" is another recipe that it would then look in to so that the end result is the ingredients it tells you that you need are "Chicken, Ham, Pasta, Milk, Cheese, Flour".

 

Discussion of what actually makes a good carbonara aside, is this possible? I'm not even sure what to Google. Any good guides for that sort of thing around? I've looked at vlookup, match and index but just can't get there. Is Excel even the way to go or is this more of an Access db? If it is, my question still applies but for Access.

 

Thank you

 

Stuart

[mavhc]

You could probably hack it, but everything that was a leaf would need another level too, better job for a database, or a small python program

[LeMarchand]

I would've thought database, too.

 

Though your recipe is an abomination: pasta (preferably spaghetti), water + salt (to cook pasta in), eggs, lardons (unless you can get/afford guanciale or pancetta), cheese (preferably Pecorino Romano and/or Parmesan) and (freshly) ground black pepper is all that's needed. What is this chicken and cheese sauce nonsense? At least you didn't mention cream!

[skinsley]

This page may be of help if you want to use excel, but it will require some forethought and formula planning. https://www.get-digital-help.com/search-for-a-text-string-and-return-multiple-adjacent-values/