Vlookup maximums

[Mike P]

Is there a maximum number of vlookup formulas you can use in a spreadsheet?
I have a large spreadsheet and tried to enter 2 additional columns of
vlookup. The first column entered without problem. The second showed the
command line as if it were text. If I entered a simple command such as =a2
it worked. It does not let me enter any more vlookup commands.

 

[JBeaucaire]

There should be no problems adding more. A common error is in the formatting
of the VLOOKUP formulas themselves.

If you have a VLOOKUP that searches a large dataset and returns different
columns, consider using the same formula for all the columns.

For instance, if the formula to get the 2column of data is:
=VLOOKUP(A1,Sheet1!$A$1:$B$1000,2,FALSE)

And the formula to get the 3rd column would be:
=VLOOKUP(A1,Sheet2!$A$1:$C$1000,3,FALSE)

You could use the second formula that includes 3 columns, and just change
the 3 to a 2. Get the same result.

In fact, even simpler is to highlight then ENTIRE dataset on Sheet2 and give
it a name, like PartsList, then your formula is:
=VLOOKUP(A1,PartsList,2,FALSE)
=VLOOKUP(A1,PartsList,3,FALSE)
....etc.

Does this get you going? If not, post up a sample formula from a column that
is working, then the formula in an adjacent cell that isn't so we can compare
them.