Lookup

C

Claudio Funes

I'm trying to read employee's records, and I have lots of Bobs and others,
but different last names on the following column. The question is: how do I
make it read the next column to match the last name to extract the
information for that row? I can't just use the second column because there
some same last names.

This is what I have right now, where $A1 is the first name, and naturally
the last name is B1.

=VLOOKUP($A1,'Adresses-Main Data Sheet'!$A$1:$K$1000,3,0)

Thanks for your help.
 
T

T. Valko

One way:

Try this array formula** :

=INDEX('Addresses-Main Data Sheet'!A1:K1000,MATCH(A1&B1,'Addresses-Main Data
Sheet'!A1:A1000&'Addresses-Main Data Sheet'!B1:B1000,0),3)

** array formulas need to be entered using the key combination of
CTRL,SHIFT,ENTER (not just ENTER)

If the data to be returned is numeric and the names (first last) are listed
only once in the lookup sheet we can use a less complicated non-array
formula.

Biff
 
C

Claudio Funes

It's not working.
And the information being pulled is alpha-numeric, and the names are listed
only once.
Thanks for your help.
 
T

T. Valko

What does "it's not working mean" ?

Getting an error? Incorrect result?

If you have:

A1 = Bob
B1 = Smith

And on sheet Addresses-Main Data Sheet:

Column A = first names
Column B = last names

That formula will work. Did you enter the formula as an array?

** array formulas need to be entered using the key combination of
CTRL,SHIFT,ENTER (not just ENTER)

Biff
 
T

T. Valko

Here's a small sample file that demonstrates this:

sample_lookup1.xls 14kb

http://cjoint.com/?geh0BIqI5V

As you'll see, the formula does work. If you're having problems I would
check the data. Your lookup values may have unseen characters like
leading/trailing spaces or other unseen characters that is causing them not
to match with the lookup table. Or, the names on the lookup table may have
the unseen characters.

Biff
 
C

Claudio Funes

It works great, thank you very much.


T. Valko said:
Here's a small sample file that demonstrates this:

sample_lookup1.xls 14kb

http://cjoint.com/?geh0BIqI5V

As you'll see, the formula does work. If you're having problems I would
check the data. Your lookup values may have unseen characters like
leading/trailing spaces or other unseen characters that is causing them not
to match with the lookup table. Or, the names on the lookup table may have
the unseen characters.

Biff
Click to expand...
 
C

Claudio Funes

Just one last question, what does the 3 in your formula represent?
In my VLOOKUP string it represented the column from which I wanted to pull
data from, in yours I'm not sure.
Thanks
 
T

T. Valko

It means the same thing, the column number. I used that particular formula
specifically so that, if needed, you could use it to pull other data from
the same table by simply changing the column number.

Biff
 
C

Claudio Funes

Yes, I had figured it out, but thank you very much, you've been a great help.
Regards,
Claudio
 
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