column matching

[Dave]

ok...i need excel to compare two columns and if the cells
are the same to retrieve info in a cell next to it...

ie


a b c
john fred yellow
mary mary pink

i need excel to compare a to b and if true give me c

 

[Peo Sjoblom]

=IF(A1=B1,C1,"")

copy down as long as necessary

 

[Ken Wright]

With your data in A1:C1, in D1 put the followinng and copy down:-

=IF(A1=B1,C1,"")

 

[dave]

ok that works if they are identical lists...but i would
like to find any instance of an item in a list then the
output...sorry for the confusion...

ie

a b c
fred john mary
bill fred kim
jim bill orange

a is the constant column

if any of a is in be then c

 

[Myrna Larson]

Don't understand what you mean. If any value from A matches (any value?) in B, you say "then c".
WHICH VALUE from c?

This seems to be different from your first explanation.

Maybe you mean that A1, Fred, matches B2, Fred, in which case you want to see C2.

If so, the answer is VLOOKUP: =VLOOKUP(A1,$B$1:$C$3,2,0)

 

[RagDyer]

If I understand you, try:

=IF(ISNA(MATCH(B1,A1:A100,0)),"",C1)
--
HTH,

RD
==============================================
Please keep all correspondence within the Group, so all may benefit!
==============================================

 

[RagDyer]

SORRY !
Forgot the absolutes.
Need them when you copy down.

=IF(ISNA(MATCH(B1,$A$1:$A$100,0)),"",C1)
--
HTH,

RD
==============================================
Please keep all correspondence within the Group, so all may benefit!
==============================================