vlookup: how tu use colum names instead of colum numbers

[brf82]

I have a data base that is feeded by 9 other data bases. There is a set of 50columns but the order of each column is diferent or dynamic in each small database. I need to send the information daily to the major database (pheraps I need to program some macros here)

Then I need to call the function vlookup for a column but I don´t want to be identified by the colum number but the column name, because the order of this columns can be altered by the flow of data that keeps coming(expanding the number of new columns of information)

Can you tell me a function that does this?

I have a solution: I created an associated list with numbers 1,2,3, n that I associate to the names, to sort them out, in the original vlookup structure.
Or maybe I could use a Hlookup inside a vlookup to identify the column name...

Can it be simplified?

Thank you

 

[brf82]

For the database problem I think will use filters to grab the set of columns from the minor databases to paste them in the major database( but I still need to sort the column structure to fit the major structure first)


For the second problem I found answer here. http://www.mrexcel.com/forum/showthread.php?t=43384

thanks