VLOOKUP #N/A Error

[Christine]

I keep getting a #N/A error even though I think my syntax
is correct. I am entering:

=VLOOKUP(CELL REF TO VALUE I'M LOOKING FOR, PAGE AND
ARRAY REF FOR POTENTIAL VALUES, # COLUMN THAT CONTAINS
RESULTS, FALSE)

Does anyone know why I would get a #N/A error? I have
tried sorting the data and starting with an array value
greater than my lookup value, and I know that all of my
lookup values have matches in the array.

Any ideas?

 

[Dave Peterson]

If you're certain that there's a match, then the usual suspects are:

Leading/trailing/extra spaces in either the cell reference (or the key column in
the table).

Or if you're looking up whole numbers, then one is actually text and the other
real numbers.

Or if you're looking up decimal numbers, then the actual value of the cell isn't
a match for the table.

You see 3.333, but the value is 3.3333333333333 (for example).

=====
If it's text numbers v. number numbers, you can test with a couple of worksheet
functions:

=isnumber(a1)

For both the cell ref and the cell that you _know_ matches.

If one is true and one is false, then you found the problem.

You can convert the text numbers to number numbers by
select an empty cell
copy it
select your range to convert
edit|paste special|and check Add (under operation)