Find/Filter multiple non unique list

[BeccaJ]

I'm trying to figure out the quickest way to search a column for a lis
of values and the answer may not always be exact.

For example, within a column, I want to find if there are any of a lis
companies (ABC, IBM, Sears, XYZ, etc.). Those companies may be liste
there, but not exact. For example, there may be ABC Inc. or AB
Corporation. This is a routine search that is needed to be done.

When I use vlookup, I can only do exact matches. Any ideas on how t
do this quickly? It would save a lot of people a lot of time.

Thank you for any help

 

[Jason Morin]

When I use vlookup, I can only do exact matches.

Not true.

=VLOOKUP("*Sears*",A:B,2,0)

HTH
Jason
Atlanta, GA

 

[BeccaJ]

I am using a named range to search on and it doesn't return back answers
that are not exact. I am using a formula like this:

=VLOOKUP(B2,Looklist,2,FALSE)


Within my list, I have * on the names.

Am I doing something wrong?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Dave Peterson]

What do you show in B2?

And in your looklist table, what's the entry that you expected it to match?

(I bet it was a data problem--not the formula itself.)

 

[BeccaJ]

B2 would be that row's company name that it is looking at.

For instance, in my list, I have "Zak*" and when it looks at a cel
that says "Zak Designs", it comes back as a false finding. Thos
should be a match

 

[Peo Sjoblom]

=VLOOKUP("*"&B2&"*",Looklist,2,0)

 

[BeccaJ]

I tried that and I still get a false finding. ??