Data Retrieval

[Guest]

I'm working with Job #'s and each Job # is specified with a name.
In the first cell I want to put the job# and have it retrieve the job name
in the next cell over.

As an example I put in 0001 in A1 and in A2 the text SampleJob will appear.
I understand this will have to pull from an outside list of information most
likely, but I'm not sure how to go about doing it.

Any help?

-K

 

[RagDyer]

You'd want to use Vlookup().

Check out this web page of Debra Dalgleish on the subject:

http://www.contextures.com/xlFunctions02.html

 

[Guest]

We can use something called VLOOKUP.

First we create the table from which we can look things up. Say in J1 thru
K10 we have:

1 butcher
2 baker
3 candlestick maker
4 doctor
5 lawyer
6 policeman
7 fireman
8 teacher
9 preacher
10 tired programmer

In A1 thru A20 we have:

7
1
5
8
2
4
3
8
5
8
3
7
4
9
4
2
2
9
5
8

In B2 enter:

=VLOOKUP(A1,$J$1:$K$20,2) and copy down. We see:

7 fireman
1 butcher
5 lawyer
8 teacher
2 baker
4 doctor
3 candlestick maker
8 teacher
5 lawyer
8 teacher
3 candlestick maker
7 fireman
4 doctor
9 preacher
4 doctor
2 baker
2 baker
9 preacher
5 lawyer
8 teacher