The Problem
When several suppliers quote the same item, the first question is usually simple: who is cheapest? The hard part is answering it quickly without scanning the column over and over or accidentally missing a lower number in the middle of the list.
This challenge turns that into a clean worksheet pattern. We find the lowest price, return the supplier tied to that value, and then flag the winning row inside the table.
How We Solve It
The price column gives us the numeric answer, so we use MIN there first. Once we have that lowest value, we can use a lookup formula to return the supplier name and a simple comparison formula to mark the winning row.
Method 1: Use MIN for the price
Method 1: Return the smallest value in the quote column.
MIN scans the quote range and returns the smallest number. That gives us the cheapest bid immediately and creates a clean anchor for the rest of the summary.
This solves the first part of the problem because the sheet needs one trusted lowest value before anything else can happen. Once that minimum price is in the summary, the lookup and row flag both have a clear target to work from.
=MIN(C2:C6)
Method 2: Return the supplier with XLOOKUP
Method 2: Return the supplier name that matches the lowest price.
Once the cheapest value is known, XLOOKUP can search for that value in the price column and return the name from column A on the same row. That is what turns the summary from just a number into an actual recommendation.
This solves the second part of the problem because the worksheet should not stop at the number alone. It connects the minimum price back to the supplier row, which tells us who actually offered the best deal.
=XLOOKUP(MIN(C2:C6), C2:C6, A2:A6)
Method 3: Flag the winning row
Method 3: Limit the minimum search to one category when needed.
The row flag is just a comparison. If the quote in column C matches the lowest value in B9, the row gets the label LOWEST. Otherwise it stays blank. In bigger sheets, that flag makes the result easier to see without reading the summary first.
This solves the visibility problem inside the table. Instead of forcing someone to compare every quote to the summary manually, the winning row marks itself so the best offer is obvious right where the data lives.
=IF(C2=$B$9,"LOWEST","")
Function Explanation
1. MIN
MIN returns the smallest number in a range. Here it answers the main pricing question directly.
Learn more this functionMIN
2. XLOOKUP
XLOOKUP searches one range and returns the matching value from another. In this challenge it links the cheapest price back to the supplier name.
3. MINIFS
MINIFS is useful when the minimum needs to be found inside one category rather than across the whole sheet. It is not required in the challenge solution, but it is the natural extension of the same idea.
Learn more this functionMINIFS
If two suppliers share the same lowest price, the summary price will still be correct. The lookup result depends on the first matching row, so tie handling is something to think about in larger procurement sheets.
Find the cheapest quote, return the supplier that offered it, and flag the winning row so the best deal is obvious both in the summary and inside the table.