VLOOKUP #REF! error (noob)

[itm]

I have a VLOOKUP function which gives the #REF! error if the column referenced by col_index is anything other than 1.

For example, in the example below (where the first column is A and the first row 1) the following function gives #REF!:
=VLOOKUP(A1,A3:A5,2,FALSE)

X #REF!

X 1
Y 2
Z 3

The function below works fine however, returning the value of the first column:
=VLOOKUP(A1,A3:A5,1,FALSE)

Can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong? The cell format for all cells is "General"

 

[Peter_SSs]

Welcome to the MrExcel board!

If you are trying to look up the second column, then your lookup range needs to be at least 2 columns wide, not 1. Try

=VLOOKUP(A1,A3:B5,2,FALSE)

 

[VoG]

Try

=VLOOKUP(A1,A3:B5,2,FALSE)