SSN format to match for vlook up

[Guest]

I have a file which is import and needs to be able to vlook up with a normal
excel file. The look up needs to be by SSN, but when I format import file SSN
column it will display SSN with dashes but the formula bar doesn't have
dashes. The normal file has dashes and thus the vlookup won't work properly.
Any suggestions other than edit find and replace dashes on regular file?

 

[Guest]

Use the TEXT function to apply the SSN format to your lookup value.
Something like:

=VLOOKUP(TEXT(A1,"000-00-0000"),$A$1:$B$10,2,FALSE)

HTH,
Elkar