lookup returns row number-why?

[Guest]

Occassionally I find that when I use VLookup I get the row number of the item
within the lookup range instead of the value. It's not clear that I am doing
anything different from the dozens of lookups I seem to do each week
(sometimes each day). Anyone have any thoughts?

 

[Guest]

would you give an example of the formula which gave the row number?

 

[Guest]

Just a standard vlookup such as: =VLOOKUP(D12,'G:\Budget\[Budget Lookup
Table.xls]Forecast Lookup Table'!$A$2:$C$120,3,FALSE).

What I don't understand is why it occassionally returns the row # - I use
this every day, and always the same way but it's only every so often that
this occurs. Once it starts I can't change it on that sheet.

 

[Guest]

it looks as though your program is starting to get corrupted. it is treating
your lookup as though it is a match() which just the first step of lookup.

horrors of horrors, you may have to have excel reinstalled on your machine.
(since I nomally have to have office reinstalled or my computer rebuilt
several times a year, this is not anything I would wish on anyone.)

The bigest thing is that if this is something you are seeing going wrong,
how many other things are going wrong but are effectively invisable.

Just a standard vlookup such as: =VLOOKUP(D12,'G:\Budget\[Budget Lookup
Table.xls]Forecast Lookup Table'!$A$2:$C$120,3,FALSE).

What I don't understand is why it occassionally returns the row # - I use
this every day, and always the same way but it's only every so often that
this occurs. Once it starts I can't change it on that sheet.

would you give an example of the formula which gave the row number?

 

[Guest]

bj,

Thanks, that's good information. It happened again yesterday in an excel
add-in to Hyperion - now I need to see if it's happening only in that
application or in regular excel as well. I go back and forth between them so
it may only be happening in that version of excel, but knowing that the match
is the first part is helpful.

it looks as though your program is starting to get corrupted. it is treating
your lookup as though it is a match() which just the first step of lookup.

horrors of horrors, you may have to have excel reinstalled on your machine.
(since I nomally have to have office reinstalled or my computer rebuilt
several times a year, this is not anything I would wish on anyone.)

The bigest thing is that if this is something you are seeing going wrong,
how many other things are going wrong but are effectively invisable.

Just a standard vlookup such as: =VLOOKUP(D12,'G:\Budget\[Budget Lookup
Table.xls]Forecast Lookup Table'!$A$2:$C$120,3,FALSE).

What I don't understand is why it occassionally returns the row # - I use
this every day, and always the same way but it's only every so often that
this occurs. Once it starts I can't change it on that sheet.

would you give an example of the formula which gave the row number?

:

Occassionally I find that when I use VLookup I get the row number of the item
within the lookup range instead of the value. It's not clear that I am doing
anything different from the dozens of lookups I seem to do each week
(sometimes each day). Anyone have any thoughts?