VLookup Function

[Guest]

Hi,

I'm trying to lookup a certain column of data in another spreadsheet based
on values that match (empnames) in both spreadsheets, and put those values
into my master spreadsheet I have. The syntax:
VLOOKUP(lookup_value,table_array,col_index_num,range_lookup)

I assume that "lookup_value" is that first column in the master spreadsheet
(empnames); table_array is the column that houses the values that is in the
other spreadsheet that I want in the Master one; col_index_num is the number
of the column that houses that data. Is this correct? I'm getting an error
saying "#N/A" What am I doing wrong?

Thanks,
MN

 

[Bob Phillips]

col-index is not the number of columns, but rather the column index that you
are interested in. So if the lookup table is of the format empnames,
fullname, age, sex, etc, and you want fullname then col_index would be 2.
Also lookup is set to false if you want an exact match.

--

HTH

RP
(remove nothere from the email address if mailing direct)

 

[Guest]

Thanks for your response. Yes, I did do that. I put the number of that
particular column that houses that data i'm after. I also put "false" at the
end as well....still getting either a N/A error! What else am I doing wrong?
For Table_Array do I need to select the entire spreadsheet range or just the
particular column i'm matching up lookup_value to?

 

[Bob Phillips]

Table array should be the whole table that you are referring across to, all
rows, and all columns, and the first column should be the empnames that you
are comparing against. Oh, don't forget to include the sheet name. SO all it
should look something like

=VLOOKUP(A1,'Sheet name'!$A$1:$H$20,2,FALSE)

--

HTH

RP
(remove nothere from the email address if mailing direct)

 

[Guest]

Excellent! So that was what I was doing wrong, I wasn't using the WHOLE SHEET
as a reference - i was just using the column that it was in. I also needed
to make sure EmpNames was the first column as well. Thanks so much for all
your help!

MN

 

[Arvi Laanemets]

Hi

An example:

You have a sheet Employees with columns:
Empname, Occupation, BirthDate, Sex

with data in range A2100,
and with a row for every employee.

On other sheet, in cell A2 you have employees name, listed in sheet
Employees, and you want to retrieve p.e. employees birthday. The formula
will be:
=VLOOKUP(A1,Employees!$A$2:$D$100,3,0)
I.e. you look for exact match (4th parameter is 0 or FALSE) of value from
cell A1 (1st parameter) in range Employees!A2100 (2nd parameter), and
return value from 3rd column of lookup range (3rd parameter - points to
column BirthDate) on same row of lookup range.


Arvi Laanemets