vlookup returning wrong values

[Attila Fust]

I have a spreadsheet that uses a list (data validation)
which has company names. For each company name in the
list there is a customer code. Here is the example:

Col AA Col AB
Acme Acme-01
Biltbest Bilt-02
Savan Inc. Savan-STD

Col A has the company name and Col B the customer code.

On the same spreadsheet I have data validation in Col A
with a listbox so that only company names from Col AA can
be selected. In Col B there is a lookup function so that
it will automatically populate the cell with the
appropriate customer code from Col AB (=VLOOKUP
(A5,$AB$4:$AC$100,2).

The problem I am having is that vlookup is returning the
wrong customer codes for the company. For example, if in
Col A "Biltbest" is selected in col B it will
return "Savan-STD" as the customer code. I have tried to
recreate this setup on a brand new spreadsheet but I am
having the same problem.

Notes regaring the lookup range. It extends from AA4 - AA
100. The whole range is not popluated with company names
(I left room to add company names in the list).

Any ideas??? I am using Excel 2000.

Attila Fust

 

[JulieD]

Hi

the VLOOKUP has four parameters, the last specifies whether you want an
approximate match (this is the default, so if you leave it blank it will
return an approximate rather than an exact match), to force an exact match
use FALSE or 0 as the fourth parameter.
=VLOOKUP(A5,$AB$4:$AC$100,2,0)

Cheers
JulieD

 

[Attila Fust]

Bingo. Thanks very much.

Attila

-----Original Message-----
Hi

the VLOOKUP has four parameters, the last specifies whether you want an
approximate match (this is the default, so if you leave it blank it will
return an approximate rather than an exact match), to force an exact match
use FALSE or 0 as the fourth parameter.
=VLOOKUP(A5,$AB$4:$AC$100,2,0)

Cheers
JulieD




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