Using VLOOKUP with a reference to a different file...

[beeblemonster]

Hello.

I'm using VLOOKUP to grab data from a different file... that part is pretty
simple. The problem is the file name gets changed a lot. I need to have one
cell that has the path, and somehow get VLOOKUP to reference it's table_array
portion to that cell's path. that way instead of changing the 532 formulas
everytime someone changes the file name I can just change that one cell.

I'm having trouble getting this to work, I think the problem is with telling
it to look at the first tab but i'm not entirely sure.

please help!!!!!

 

[tsides]

Hello.

I'm using VLOOKUP to grab data from a different file... that part is pretty
simple. The problem is the file name gets changed a lot. I need to have one
cell that has the path, and somehow get VLOOKUP to reference it's table_array
portion to that cell's path. that way instead of changing the 532 formulas
everytime someone changes the file name I can just change that one cell.

I'm having trouble getting this to work, I think the problem is with telling
it to look at the first tab but i'm not entirely sure.

please help!!!!!

change the table_array portion to an indirect function. If you place
the filename in cell A1, then make your formula
VLOOKUP(B1,INDIRECT(A1),2). Remember to place the filename in the
format of something like:
C:\Documents and Settings\tsides\My Documents\[Book1.xls]Sheet1'!$A
$2:$B$5

You could even hardcode the path and just put the filename in A1:
VLOOKUP(B1,INDIRECT("C:\Documents and Settings\tsides\My Documents\
["&A1&"]Sheet1'!$A$2:$B$5"),2)

 

[Peo Sjoblom]

The won't work since INDIRECT does not work with files that are closed so
the only way is to open the file and thus the path is not necessary just the
file name.

If the OP does a Google search for Morefunc he can download and install that
add-in and one of the functions in that add-in is called INDIRECT.EXT which
will work with closed files

--


Regards,


Peo Sjoblom

Hello.

I'm using VLOOKUP to grab data from a different file... that part is
pretty
simple. The problem is the file name gets changed a lot. I need to have
one
cell that has the path, and somehow get VLOOKUP to reference it's
table_array
portion to that cell's path. that way instead of changing the 532 formulas
everytime someone changes the file name I can just change that one cell.

I'm having trouble getting this to work, I think the problem is with
telling
it to look at the first tab but i'm not entirely sure.

please help!!!!!

change the table_array portion to an indirect function. If you place
the filename in cell A1, then make your formula
VLOOKUP(B1,INDIRECT(A1),2). Remember to place the filename in the
format of something like:
C:\Documents and Settings\tsides\My Documents\[Book1.xls]Sheet1'!$A
$2:$B$5

You could even hardcode the path and just put the filename in A1:
VLOOKUP(B1,INDIRECT("C:\Documents and Settings\tsides\My Documents\
["&A1&"]Sheet1'!$A$2:$B$5"),2)

 

[tsides]

Thanks; I have many uses for that that add-in myself!

 

[beeblemonster]

It's not working at all....
would it have something to do with the fact that both files aren't on my
hardrive... they are on a company server in password protected folder?

I've been trying to get this to work for hours... with and without it open.

 

[Pete_UK]

Post the formula(s) that you have tried, and tell us what error
message you are getting.

Pete

 

[beeblemonster]

I'ver tried it a couple of ways...

It says #NAME? when I dothis...

This is what C3's code looks like...
=VLOOKUP(A3,INDIRECT(A1),15)

and this is what A1's looks like...
=HYPERLINK('[file name]Sheet 1'!$1:$65536)

when I change A1 to \\folder\folder\folder\[file name]Sheet 1'!$1:$65536
it come with a #REF! error

 

[Pete_UK]

Try it with your table reference as $A:$P rather than $1:$65536. Not
sure why you have the HYPERLINK in A1, but you need the full path if
the file is not open (although you seem to have missed an apostrophe).

Hope this helps.

Pete

I'ver tried it a couple of ways...

It says #NAME? when I dothis...

This is what C3's code looks like...
=VLOOKUP(A3,INDIRECT(A1),15)

and this is what A1's looks like...
=HYPERLINK('[file name]Sheet 1'!$1:$65536)

when I change A1 to \\folder\folder\folder\[file name]Sheet 1'!$1:$65536
it come with a #REF! error

Post the formula(s) that you have tried, and tell us what error
message you are getting.

- Show quoted text -

 

[Pete_UK]

Sorry, I thought from the earlier posts that you would have downloaded
the Morefunc add-in and used INDIRECT.EXT. As you are trying to use
INDIRECT, this will fail if the other workbook is not open.

Pete

Try it with your table reference as $A:$P rather than $1:$65536. Not
sure why you have the HYPERLINK in A1, but you need the full path if
the file is not open (although you seem to have missed an apostrophe).

Hope this helps.

Pete

I'ver tried it a couple of ways...

It says #NAME? when I dothis...

This is what C3's code looks like...
=VLOOKUP(A3,INDIRECT(A1),15)

and this is what A1's looks like...
=HYPERLINK('[file name]Sheet 1'!$1:$65536)

when I change A1 to \\folder\folder\folder\[file name]Sheet 1'!$1:$65536
it come with a #REF! error

- Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

 

[beeblemonster]

It did the hyperlink automatically...
i can change it to just text...
I'll try the A-P thing, but where am I missing an apostrophe?

and I can't download morefunc, unless I get permission from an admin, so I
was going to make sure I could get it to work with the file in the backround
before I went through taht whole process. If I did use this program and
someone wanted to look at the file and change stuff on a different
computer... would they have to download the program also?

Sorry, I thought from the earlier posts that you would have downloaded
the Morefunc add-in and used INDIRECT.EXT. As you are trying to use
INDIRECT, this will fail if the other workbook is not open.

Pete

Try it with your table reference as $A:$P rather than $1:$65536. Not
sure why you have the HYPERLINK in A1, but you need the full path if
the file is not open (although you seem to have missed an apostrophe).

Hope this helps.

Pete

I'ver tried it a couple of ways...

It says #NAME? when I dothis...

This is what C3's code looks like...
=VLOOKUP(A3,INDIRECT(A1),15)

and this is what A1's looks like...
=HYPERLINK('[file name]Sheet 1'!$1:$65536)

when I change A1 to \\folder\folder\folder\[file name]Sheet 1'!$1:$65536
it come with a #REF! error

:
Post the formula(s) that you have tried, and tell us what error
message you are getting.

On Aug 13, 10:00 pm, beeblemonster
It's not working at all....
would it have something to do with the fact that both files aren't on my
hardrive... they are on a company server in password protected folder?

I've been trying to get this to work for hours... with and without it open. - Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

 

[beeblemonster]

and it's on a microsoft windows network... so i can't start with C:\\ it just
starts with \\folder\

Sorry, I thought from the earlier posts that you would have downloaded
the Morefunc add-in and used INDIRECT.EXT. As you are trying to use
INDIRECT, this will fail if the other workbook is not open.

Pete

Try it with your table reference as $A:$P rather than $1:$65536. Not
sure why you have the HYPERLINK in A1, but you need the full path if
the file is not open (although you seem to have missed an apostrophe).

Hope this helps.

Pete

I'ver tried it a couple of ways...

It says #NAME? when I dothis...

This is what C3's code looks like...
=VLOOKUP(A3,INDIRECT(A1),15)

and this is what A1's looks like...
=HYPERLINK('[file name]Sheet 1'!$1:$65536)

when I change A1 to \\folder\folder\folder\[file name]Sheet 1'!$1:$65536
it come with a #REF! error

:
Post the formula(s) that you have tried, and tell us what error
message you are getting.

On Aug 13, 10:00 pm, beeblemonster
It's not working at all....
would it have something to do with the fact that both files aren't on my
hardrive... they are on a company server in password protected folder?

I've been trying to get this to work for hours... with and without it open. - Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

 

[Pete_UK]

To answer your last question first - Yes, but it's free (but that's
one reason why I don't install add-ins, as I can't guarantee that
other users will have them).

Open the file that you want to get the data from, and then put this,
including both apostophes, in A1 of your main file:

'[file_name.xls]Sheet 1'!$A:$P

(You don't need to specify the path if the file is open). Then this
formula in C3:

=VLOOKUP(A3,INDIRECT(A$1),15)

should work ok.

However, if you close the other file this will not work.

Hope this helps.

Pete

It did the hyperlink automatically...
i can change it to just text...
I'll try the A-P thing, but where am I missing an apostrophe?

and I can't download morefunc, unless I get permission from an admin, so I
was going to make sure I could get it to work with the file in the backround
before I went through taht whole process. If I did use this program and
someone wanted to look at the file and change stuff on a different
computer... would they have to download the program also?

Sorry, I thought from the earlier posts that you would have downloaded
the Morefunc add-in and used INDIRECT.EXT. As you are trying to use
INDIRECT, this will fail if the other workbook is not open.

Pete

Try it with your table reference as $A:$P rather than $1:$65536. Not
sure why you have the HYPERLINK in A1, but you need the full path if
the file is not open (although you seem to have missed an apostrophe)..
Hope this helps.
Pete
On Aug 14, 3:14 pm, beeblemonster
I'ver tried it a couple of ways...
It says #NAME? when I dothis...
This is what C3's code looks like...
=VLOOKUP(A3,INDIRECT(A1),15)
and this is what A1's looks like...
=HYPERLINK('[file name]Sheet 1'!$1:$65536)
when I change A1 to \\folder\folder\folder\[file name]Sheet 1'!$1:$65536
it come with a #REF! error
:
Post the formula(s) that you have tried, and tell us what error
message you are getting.
Pete
On Aug 13, 10:00 pm, beeblemonster
It's not working at all....
would it have something to do with the fact that both files aren't on my
hardrive... they are on a company server in password protected folder?
I've been trying to get this to work for hours... with and without it open. - Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

 

[beeblemonster]

It's still not working.
The file being called upon is open behind it. I have '[file name.xls]sheet
1'!$A:$X in A1. and C3 is showing... #REF! with =VLOOKUP(A3,INDIRECT(A$1),15)
as the code.

I can't find the mistake anywhere...

To answer your last question first - Yes, but it's free (but that's
one reason why I don't install add-ins, as I can't guarantee that
other users will have them).

Open the file that you want to get the data from, and then put this,
including both apostophes, in A1 of your main file:

'[file_name.xls]Sheet 1'!$A:$P

(You don't need to specify the path if the file is open). Then this
formula in C3:

=VLOOKUP(A3,INDIRECT(A$1),15)

should work ok.

However, if you close the other file this will not work.

Hope this helps.

Pete

It did the hyperlink automatically...
i can change it to just text...
I'll try the A-P thing, but where am I missing an apostrophe?

and I can't download morefunc, unless I get permission from an admin, so I
was going to make sure I could get it to work with the file in the backround
before I went through taht whole process. If I did use this program and
someone wanted to look at the file and change stuff on a different
computer... would they have to download the program also?

Sorry, I thought from the earlier posts that you would have downloaded
the Morefunc add-in and used INDIRECT.EXT. As you are trying to use
INDIRECT, this will fail if the other workbook is not open.

Try it with your table reference as $A:$P rather than $1:$65536. Not
sure why you have the HYPERLINK in A1, but you need the full path if
the file is not open (although you seem to have missed an apostrophe)..

Hope this helps.

On Aug 14, 3:14 pm, beeblemonster

I'ver tried it a couple of ways...

It says #NAME? when I dothis...

This is what C3's code looks like...
=VLOOKUP(A3,INDIRECT(A1),15)

and this is what A1's looks like...
=HYPERLINK('[file name]Sheet 1'!$1:$65536)

when I change A1 to \\folder\folder\folder\[file name]Sheet 1'!$1:$65536
it come with a #REF! error

:
Post the formula(s) that you have tried, and tell us what error
message you are getting.

On Aug 13, 10:00 pm, beeblemonster
It's not working at all....
would it have something to do with the fact that both files aren't on my
hardrive... they are on a company server in password protected folder?

I've been trying to get this to work for hours... with and without it open. - Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

 

[Peo Sjoblom]

You can actually embed the function in the particular workbook so if you
email a workbook the receiver don't have to download and install the add-in.


--


Regards,


Peo Sjoblom

To answer your last question first - Yes, but it's free (but that's
one reason why I don't install add-ins, as I can't guarantee that
other users will have them).

Open the file that you want to get the data from, and then put this,
including both apostophes, in A1 of your main file:

'[file_name.xls]Sheet 1'!$A:$P

(You don't need to specify the path if the file is open). Then this
formula in C3:

=VLOOKUP(A3,INDIRECT(A$1),15)

should work ok.

However, if you close the other file this will not work.

Hope this helps.

Pete

It did the hyperlink automatically...
i can change it to just text...
I'll try the A-P thing, but where am I missing an apostrophe?

and I can't download morefunc, unless I get permission from an admin, so I
was going to make sure I could get it to work with the file in the
backround
before I went through taht whole process. If I did use this program and
someone wanted to look at the file and change stuff on a different
computer... would they have to download the program also?

Sorry, I thought from the earlier posts that you would have downloaded
the Morefunc add-in and used INDIRECT.EXT. As you are trying to use
INDIRECT, this will fail if the other workbook is not open.

Pete

Try it with your table reference as $A:$P rather than $1:$65536. Not
sure why you have the HYPERLINK in A1, but you need the full path if
the file is not open (although you seem to have missed an apostrophe).
Hope this helps.
Pete
On Aug 14, 3:14 pm, beeblemonster
I'ver tried it a couple of ways...
It says #NAME? when I dothis...
This is what C3's code looks like...
=VLOOKUP(A3,INDIRECT(A1),15)
and this is what A1's looks like...
=HYPERLINK('[file name]Sheet 1'!$1:$65536)
when I change A1 to \\folder\folder\folder\[file name]Sheet
1'!$1:$65536
it come with a #REF! error
:
Post the formula(s) that you have tried, and tell us what error
message you are getting.
Pete
On Aug 13, 10:00 pm, beeblemonster
It's not working at all....
would it have something to do with the fact that both files
aren't on my
hardrive... they are on a company server in password protected
folder?
I've been trying to get this to work for hours... with and
without it open. - Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

 

[Glenn]

It's still not working.
The file being called upon is open behind it. I have '[file name.xls]sheet
1'!$A:$X in A1. and C3 is showing... #REF! with =VLOOKUP(A3,INDIRECT(A$1),15)
as the code.

I can't find the mistake anywhere...

Does A1 actually say "file name" and "sheet 1", or did you substitute the file
name and sheet name you actually are trying to reference.

 

[beeblemonster]

no. File name and Sheet 1 are replacements of what I have. I can't really
send that information out. But sheet 1 is replaced by the name of my first
tab and file name is exactly as the file name is. [bla bla bla (Updated
aug08).xls]

It's still not working.
The file being called upon is open behind it. I have '[file name.xls]sheet
1'!$A:$X in A1. and C3 is showing... #REF! with =VLOOKUP(A3,INDIRECT(A$1),15)
as the code.

I can't find the mistake anywhere...

Does A1 actually say "file name" and "sheet 1", or did you substitute the file
name and sheet name you actually are trying to reference.

 

[beeblemonster]

how?

You can actually embed the function in the particular workbook so if you
email a workbook the receiver don't have to download and install the add-in.


--


Regards,


Peo Sjoblom

To answer your last question first - Yes, but it's free (but that's
one reason why I don't install add-ins, as I can't guarantee that
other users will have them).

Open the file that you want to get the data from, and then put this,
including both apostophes, in A1 of your main file:

'[file_name.xls]Sheet 1'!$A:$P

(You don't need to specify the path if the file is open). Then this
formula in C3:

=VLOOKUP(A3,INDIRECT(A$1),15)

should work ok.

However, if you close the other file this will not work.

Hope this helps.

Pete

It did the hyperlink automatically...
i can change it to just text...
I'll try the A-P thing, but where am I missing an apostrophe?

and I can't download morefunc, unless I get permission from an admin, so I
was going to make sure I could get it to work with the file in the
backround
before I went through taht whole process. If I did use this program and
someone wanted to look at the file and change stuff on a different
computer... would they have to download the program also?

Sorry, I thought from the earlier posts that you would have downloaded
the Morefunc add-in and used INDIRECT.EXT. As you are trying to use
INDIRECT, this will fail if the other workbook is not open.

Try it with your table reference as $A:$P rather than $1:$65536. Not
sure why you have the HYPERLINK in A1, but you need the full path if
the file is not open (although you seem to have missed an apostrophe).

Hope this helps.

On Aug 14, 3:14 pm, beeblemonster

I'ver tried it a couple of ways...

It says #NAME? when I dothis...

This is what C3's code looks like...
=VLOOKUP(A3,INDIRECT(A1),15)

and this is what A1's looks like...
=HYPERLINK('[file name]Sheet 1'!$1:$65536)

when I change A1 to \\folder\folder\folder\[file name]Sheet
1'!$1:$65536
it come with a #REF! error

:
Post the formula(s) that you have tried, and tell us what error
message you are getting.

On Aug 13, 10:00 pm, beeblemonster
It's not working at all....
would it have something to do with the fact that both files
aren't on my
hardrive... they are on a company server in password protected
folder?

I've been trying to get this to work for hours... with and
without it open. - Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

 

[Spiky]

morefunc is a series of UDFs. User Defined Function. (I think)
Basically, UDFs are macros that create functions you can use like any
other function. Once you install it, it offers the option right in the
Tools menu to embed its macros into any file you choose.

 

[Pete_UK]

What do you have in A3? Does it actually match with something in
column A of the external file? The way your VLOOKUP formula is set up,
the data in the external file needs to be sorted on column A, and if
A3 is empty or smaller than the first value then you will get an
error. You might like to look for an exact match, by changing your
formula to:

=VLOOKUP(A3,INDIRECT(A$1),15,0)

and then the data doesn't have to be sorted.

Hope this helps.

Pete

no. File name and Sheet 1 are replacements of what I have. I can't really
send that information out. But sheet 1 is replaced by the name of my first
tab and file name is exactly as the file name is. [bla bla bla (Updated
aug08).xls]

It's still not working.
The file being called upon is open behind it. I have '[file name.xls]sheet
1'!$A:$X in A1. and C3 is showing... #REF! with =VLOOKUP(A3,INDIRECT(A$1),15)
as the code.
I can't find the mistake anywhere...

Does A1 actually say "file name" and "sheet 1", or did you substitute the file
name and sheet name you actually are trying to reference.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

 

[beeblemonster]

there is definately a match there because i can do the entire formula within
A3 and it works. something between cells A1 and C3 is not working. #REF!
still comes up when I add a 0 or false to the end.

What do you have in A3? Does it actually match with something in
column A of the external file? The way your VLOOKUP formula is set up,
the data in the external file needs to be sorted on column A, and if
A3 is empty or smaller than the first value then you will get an
error. You might like to look for an exact match, by changing your
formula to:

=VLOOKUP(A3,INDIRECT(A$1),15,0)

and then the data doesn't have to be sorted.

Hope this helps.

Pete

no. File name and Sheet 1 are replacements of what I have. I can't really
send that information out. But sheet 1 is replaced by the name of my first
tab and file name is exactly as the file name is. [bla bla bla (Updated
aug08).xls]

beeblemonster wrote:
It's still not working.
The file being called upon is open behind it. I have '[file name.xls]sheet
1'!$A:$X in A1. and C3 is showing... #REF! with =VLOOKUP(A3,INDIRECT(A$1),15)
as the code.

I can't find the mistake anywhere...

Does A1 actually say "file name" and "sheet 1", or did you substitute the file
name and sheet name you actually are trying to reference.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -