Vlookup not working

[shatibi]

Hello,

I'm trying to use the vlookup function. I've got a sheet in the workbook that lists all the item numbers and their corresponding square footages.

I'm trying to look up data on another sheet based on that table. (but I did try putting the table on the same sheet, in case that was it and it didn't help.)

Sometimes it pulls the correct answer and sometimes it doesn't. On the sheet with the list, the table range is B2:C38. On the table I'm trying to use the vlookup function, this is the formula I'm using:

if(d5="","",vlookup(d5,Item!B$2:c$38,2))

Please help! I already made sure every cell is set to number on all sheets, that didn't help. I even tried shortening the digit number, b/c the item number is fairly long (e.g. 10007171), but that changed which cells were messing up, but not the main problem itself.

 

[VoG]

Try

if(d5="","",vlookup(d5,Item!B$2:c$38,2,FALSE))

 

[shatibi]

No, that wasn't it. I tried that already, but I think I figured it out. It looks like I needed to sort the item numbers into ascending order. Once I did that, the problem went away.

Who knew? But thank you!

 

[rallcorn]

I rarely use vlookup any more, partly due to the problem you encountered. Try substituting index/match . . . no need to sort AND you aren't constrained to the lookup in leftmost column like you are w/ vlookup.

 

[shatibi]

really? how do you use it? I'm not familiar....

 

[rallcorn]

=index(Source!$A:$X,match(Summary!B10,Source!$M:$M,false),1)

=index(Source!$A:$X single column or range that holds data you want returned,match(Summary!B10 cell with item being "looked up",Source!$M:$M column that holds list of lookups items,false first value that matches exactly),1 number of the column number in $A:$X range that holds the data we want returned i.e. column A, so this is example of finding an item in column M & returning what is in column A, something you can't do w/ vlookup because col M would have to be the leftmost column in our range)

 

[shatibi]

I'll have to try that. thanx for the tip!

 

[scottylad2]

If your looking up a value thats an exact match within your table, then the answer your retrieving can be sorted any way. it only neets sorted in ascending order if your looking up a number and the answer isn't in the lookup table and you want an approximate match for the answer

Excel Workbook
	F	G
18	march	888
19	june	458
20	may	235
21	august	1253
22	Lookup Value	Answer
23	june	458
Sheet2