How to generate a new variable based on conditions for values of two other variables

[Rajshri Suresh]

Hello! I have the following dataset and I'm trying to create a new var X which should have the same empl value that its corresponding previous year and lower rank have -

* Example generated by -dataex-. For more info, type help dataex
clear
input int yearofdate byte(rank empl)
2001 1  2
2002 1  2
2003 1  1
2004 1  2
2005 1  0
2006 1  1
2007 1  0
2008 1  1
2009 1  1
2010 1  0
2011 1  2
2012 1  2
2013 1  2
2014 1  2
2015 1  1
2016 1  1
2017 1  1
2018 1  0
2019 1  0
2020 1  1
2021 1  1
2001 2  0
2002 2  3
2003 2  2
2004 2  0
2005 2  1
2006 2  1
2007 2  4
2008 2  2
2009 2  3
2010 2  5
2011 2  6
2012 2  3
2013 2  3
2014 2  2
2015 2  3
2016 2  4
2017 2  4
2018 2  2
2019 2  1
2020 2  2
2021 2  5
2001 3  0
2002 3  0
2003 3  1
2004 3  4
2005 3  5
2006 3  5
2007 3  6
2008 3  8
2009 3  7
2010 3  7
2011 3  6
2012 3  7
2013 3  7
2014 3  7
2015 3  7
2016 3  6
2017 3  8
2018 3 15
2019 3 15
2020 3 15
2021 3 11
2001 4  1
2002 4  2
2003 4  2
2004 4  2
2005 4  3
2006 4  0
2007 4  0
2008 4  0
2009 4  1
2010 4  1
2011 4  1
2012 4  1
2013 4  1
2014 4  1
2015 4  1
2016 4  1
2017 4  1
2018 4  0
2019 4  0
2020 4  1
2021 4  5
2001 5  0
2002 5  0
2003 5  0
2004 5  0
2005 5  0
2006 5  2
2007 5  2
2008 5  1
2009 5  1
2010 5  1
2011 5  2
2012 5  3
2013 5  3
2014 5  3
2015 5  3
2016 5  3
end

For example, if the year is 2002 and the rank is 1, the new variable X should have the empl value that exists for the year 2001 and rank 2 (i.e. 0). I thought the key was in sorting them appropriately, but I can't find the right way. Can someone help me with this please?

[Ali Atia]

tempfile temp
save `temp'

rename empl X
replace yearofdate = year+1
replace rank = rank-1
merge 1:1 yearofdate rank using `temp', nogen keep(2 3)

[Rajshri Suresh]

That worked perfectly, thank you so much! Appreciate it!