Cells with same text but excel think it's different?

[Guest]

I have two cells with exacely the same text. but excel think it's different and not returning any value for my vlookup.. I used if statement and the result is showing the 2 cells are different.
I checked format, space and even '.
can someone please help?
thanks.

 

[Andy Wiggins]

Do you have an 0 instead of a O? (Number zero, letter O)

--
Regards
Andy Wiggins
www.BygSoftware.com
Home of "Save and BackUp",
"The Excel Auditor" and "Byg Tools for VBA"

I have two cells with exacely the same text. but excel think it's

different and not returning any value for my vlookup.. I used if statement
and the result is showing the 2 cells are different.

 

[Earl Kiosterud]

Jason,

Try = Len() on each. And there may be code 160 characters for spaces,
instead of the usual code 32.
--
Earl Kiosterud
mvpearl omitthisword at verizon period net
-------------------------------------------

I have two cells with exacely the same text. but excel think it's

different and not returning any value for my vlookup.. I used if statement
and the result is showing the 2 cells are different.

 

[Debra Dalgleish]

One way to compare the cells:

Enter a number in a cell (cell D1 in this example) --
use a number that's about 1/2 the number of characters in the cell
Type a formula to compare the characters from the left of the two cells
(cells A2 and B2 in this example)

=LEFT(A2,$D$1)=LEFT(B2,$D$1)

If the result is TRUE, increase the number until it returns FALSE
If the result is FALSE, decrease the number until it returns TRUE.
That will tell you where the strings differ.

 

[Gord Dibben]

Jason

There could be html non-breaking spaces in the cell or other hidden
characters.

Download Chip Pearson's CELLVIEW add-in from

http://www.cpearson.com/excel/CellView.htm

Load through Tools>Add-ins.

Select the data and Chip's add-in will show you what the characters are.

David McRitchie's TRIMALL macro could also be of assistance.

http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/join.htm#trimall

Gord Dibben Excel MVP