WHY DO I GET A FILE ERROR WHICH AFFECTS LOOKUP FORMULAS

[HarveyB]

I have created a costing set up which uses vlookup to search databases of raw
materials, packaging and their respective costs. I am using a 'blank' form
which I duplicate and then use drop down menus to search for the items.

When I close this file after adding some worksheets and then reopen it a
'File error data may be lost message' appears and it returns #N/A in the
cells which did contain the vlookup formula. An example of this formula
which is used many times on the page is:
=VLOOKUP(B75,Bottles!A238,4,FALSE)*C11

I hope someone can help with this problem.

Regards,

HarveyB

 

[Alan]

I have created a costing set up which uses vlookup to search databases of raw
materials, packaging and their respective costs.  I am using a 'blank' form
which I duplicate and then use drop down menus to search for the items.

When I close this file after adding some worksheets and then reopen it a
'File error data may be lost message' appears and it returns #N/A in the
cells which did contain the vlookup formula.  An example of this formula
which is used many times on the page is:
=VLOOKUP(B75,Bottles!A238,4,FALSE)*C11

I hope someone can help with this problem.

Regards,

HarveyB

Sounds like the file is damaged by some reason. You may try Advanced
Excel Repair at http://www.datanumen.com/aer/ This tool is rather
useful in salvaging damaged Excel xls files. Hope this helps.

 

[HarveyB]

I have run some similar software which a colleague had (ExcelFix) and it has
recovered most of the information but has removed some validation - which
provided me with drop-down menus. Do you think that the complexity of the
spreadsheet and the fact that this was duplicated a number of times stopped
the file from saving properly? Do I need to simplify the set up?

Harvey