vlookup table_array reference listed in another cell

[Guest]

If anyone can help with this vlookup question I would
appreciate your input. I am trying to place in the
vlookup function
(VLOOKUP(lookup_value,table_array,col_index_num,FALSE), a
cell reference in each of the parameters (i.e. vlookup
(b5,b6,b7,false)) where the lookup_value is in b5, the
table_array name is in b6, and the col_index is in b7. I
can only get it to work with using cell references for
the parameters b5 & b7. I have to put the actual
parameter for b6 (table_array) in the formula itself.
Any ideas how I can get it to take the table array from
the referenced cell?

Thank you -- James Dean

 

[Aladin Akyurek]

=VLOOKUP(B5,INDIRECT(B6),B7,0)

 

[Paul]

If anyone can help with this vlookup question I would
appreciate your input. I am trying to place in the
vlookup function
(VLOOKUP(lookup_value,table_array,col_index_num,FALSE), a
cell reference in each of the parameters (i.e. vlookup
(b5,b6,b7,false)) where the lookup_value is in b5, the
table_array name is in b6, and the col_index is in b7. I
can only get it to work with using cell references for
the parameters b5 & b7. I have to put the actual
parameter for b6 (table_array) in the formula itself.
Any ideas how I can get it to take the table array from
the referenced cell?

Thank you -- James Dean

What you have in B6 is some text. You know that it's a name representing a
range, but Excel doesn't. You have to tell Excel to convert the text to a
range, which you can do with INDIRECT. So try:
=VLOOKUP(B5,INDIRECT(B6),B7,FALSE)