One partial table, one master table - update the partial

[boilermaker]

I've got a listing of 3000 personnel. Personnel in column A, supervisors in
column B.
In a separate worksheet, I have a listing of 400 personnel in column A.
Same names in column A, sheet 1 as in column A, sheet 2, just a shorter
listing in sheet 1.(smaller worksheet).

Short list: Sheet 1
Master list: Sheet 2

How do I get EXCEL to compare sheet 1 with sheet 2, and fill in the
appropriate supervisor in sheet 1?

 

[tim m]

You can use VLOOKUP to find the supervisors for sheet 1 from sheet 2
In the column next to the personell in the short list try this formula

=VLOOKUP(A1,Sheet2!$A$1:$B$3000,2,FALSE)

The formula will look at A1 in your short list. It will then go to sheet2
(or the name of your master list) to find the persons name. Once found it
will look at the 2nd column from the name (name 1st column, supervisor 2nd
column) and will return the supervisors name. The FALSE part just tells the
formula that you want an exact match.

See if that works for you.

 

[Luke M]

=VLOOKUP(A2,'Sheet 2'!A:B,2,FALSE)

 

[boilermaker]

Thank you, Tim and Luke.
I'm darned close, but not quite there. And I now realize why.
One part of the database had a middle initial, yet the other part of the
database did not.
Not a real problem, yet.

The formula worked, but not quite right (I removed the "FALSE" statement).
Most of the supervisors are one row higher than they should be.

Now I need to figure out how to remove the middle initial, and maybe it'll
work as designed.

Thanks again.

Rick (BoilerMaker)
(I could send you the file to look at if you'd like. I'd rather learn by
myself with a little help though, as I have a real problem with other people
doing my job for me)