vlookup - Col_index_num

[xyz]

How could i automatically change the col_index_num on a vlookup.

assuming that i got two tab : sheet 1 and sheet 2
sheet 1, is where I am doing the search
sheet 2, is where my data

sheet 2 contain

J 5
F 6
M 7

from the table above, if i do a vlookup("J",sheet1!A:B,2,false) I would get
a result of "5"

let say I need to insert a column in sheet 2, that would look like this

J m 5
F n 6
M o 7

the result on table 1 vlookup("J",sheet1!A:C,2,false) will now be "m"
since I inserted a column, though the table_array automatically adjust, but
the col_index_num remain the same, is there a way to have the col_index_num
to automatically adjust too?

Thanks

 

[Bob Phillips]

=VLOOKUP("J",Sheet1!A:C,COLUMN(Sheet1!C:C),FALSE)

--
HTH

Bob

(there's no email, no snail mail, but somewhere should be gmail in my addy)

 

[xyz]

Thanks Bob,

I got a follow up question,
what if my search column do not start at column "A",
say it is on column B

with the VLOOKUP("J",Sheet1!B:C,COLUMN(Sheet1!C:C),FALSE)
I got a "REF#" error on this, is there still a way to do it
If it is not on column "A" ?

Thanks again

 

[Bob Phillips]

You still use Column(Sheet1!B:B) to start with, because it is that number 2
that you want to use dynamically, nothing to do with the columns in the
lookup table.

--
HTH

Bob

(there's no email, no snail mail, but somewhere should be gmail in my addy)

 

[xyz]

Hi Bob,

Thank you for quick reply,
if i use column(Sheet1!B:B) that fix my column count to "2",
so when i insert a column in the source data the column count does not change

orig data (prior to inserting a column)
J 5
F 6
M 7
vlookup("J",Sheet1!A:B,COLUMN(B:B),FALSE) = 5

inserting column from orig data
J m 5
F n 6
M o 7
the vlookup formula will automatically change into this
vlookup("J",Sheet1!A:C,COLUMN(B:B),FALSE) = m
the table_array did adjust, but the col_index_num remain (B:B) which
is equal to "2", but since I inserted a new column, it should now be "3"

Thanks again

 

[xyz]

correction, since I have the data now starting at column B instead of column A

orig data, column B & C, (prior to inserting a column)
J 5
F 6
M 7
vlookup("J",Sheet1!B:C,COLUMN(B:B),FALSE) = 5

inserting column from orig data, column will now be B, C & D
J m 5
F n 6
M o 7
the vlookup formula will automatically change into this
vlookup("J",Sheet1!B,COLUMN(B:B),FALSE) = m,
and i need to keep the result of "5"
the table_array did adjust, but the col_index_num remain (B:B) which
is equal to "2", but since I inserted a new column, it should now be "3"

Thanks

 

[Conan Kelly]

xyz,

If you use "COLUMN(B:B)" and you insert a column between B & C, then
"COLUMN(B:B)" will not adjust.

If you change "COLUMN(B:B)" to "COLUMN(C:C)", then "COLUMN(C:C)" should
automatically change to "COLUMN(D)" when you insert a column between B &
C.

But you might need to do something like this in order to get it to work:
"COLUMN(C:C)-1"

HTH,

Conan

 

[xyz]

Thanks Conan,

did try it, but still didn't work,
i will try to experiment on it further again tomorrow

Thanks again.

 

[Conan Kelly]

Wait a minute!!! I think I see what the problem is!!!

This VLOOKUP() formula is on Sheet2, correct? We are looking up data from
Sheet1, correct?

"COLUMN(C:C)" refers to column C on Sheet2, if you insert a column on
Sheet1, it is not going to have any affect on this part of the formula.

Change "COLUMN(C:C)" to "COLUMN(Sheet1!C:C)". See if that works.

Also, keep in mind that you might have to add "-1" or "-2" to the end of
"COLUMN(Sheet1!C:C)" to get it to return the value you are looking up.

Now, if that STILL doesn't work, then assign a name to Sheet1!C:C (create a
named range). Then you could change "COLUMN(Sheet1!C:C)" to
"COLUMN(NameYouGaveToColumnCOnSheet1)"

HTH,

Conan

 

[Bob Phillips]

My original formula referred to Sheet1.

--
HTH

Bob

(there's no email, no snail mail, but somewhere should be gmail in my addy)

 

[Conan Kelly]

looky there, it did. Some how it got lost in the translation.

Thanks again for all of your help, Bob.

Conan