Vlookups and match

[redrabbit]

hello,

I was hoping you can help, i have a spreadsheet that contains just Surnames and I want to do a "lookup" or "match" with another spreadsheet that consists of these surnames and other data.

The other spreadsheet has a column called Full Names which has results like Mr John Smith, or in the form of Smith, John which the vlookup function wont spot.

i have played aboutwith the vlookup/match/index formula but having no such luck.


Anybody got any recommendations on how to do this?

 

[abi_learn_vba]

Use Vlookup

Vlookup("Smith", $Your table array$", col_index, 1)

here 1 will pull out similar matches of "Smith"

Regards
Abi

 

[AlphaFrog]

Wrap your lookup name in wildcards e.g. "*Smith*"

<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="font-family:Arial,Arial; font-size:10pt; background-color:#ffffff; padding-left:2pt; padding-right:2pt; "> <colgroup><col style="font-weight:bold; width:30px; " /><col style="width:100px;" /><col style="width:17.6px;" /><col style="width:76.8px;" /><col style="width:76px;" /></colgroup><tr style="background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; font-weight:bold; font-size:8pt; "><td > </td><td >A</td><td >B</td><td >C</td><td >D</td></tr><tr style="height:22px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >1</td><td style="font-weight:bold; ">Full Names</td><td style="font-weight:bold; "> </td><td style="font-weight:bold; ">Last Name</td><td style="font-weight:bold; ">Row Result</td></tr><tr style="height:22px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >2</td><td >Bob Barker</td><td > </td><td >Smith</td><td style="background-color:#ffff99; text-align:center; ">6</td></tr><tr style="height:22px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >3</td><td >Jim Doe</td><td > </td><td >Van</td><td style="background-color:#ffff99; text-align:center; ">7</td></tr><tr style="height:22px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >4</td><td >Jack Jones</td><td > </td><td >Doe</td><td style="background-color:#ffff99; text-align:center; ">3</td></tr><tr style="height:22px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >5</td><td >Al Capp</td><td > </td><td >Bob</td><td style="background-color:#ffff99; text-align:center; ">2</td></tr><tr style="height:22px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >6</td><td >Mr John Smith</td><td > </td><td >Capp</td><td style="background-color:#ffff99; text-align:center; ">5</td></tr><tr style="height:22px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >7</td><td >**** Van Dyke</td><td > </td><td >Jones</td><td style="background-color:#ffff99; text-align:center; ">4</td></tr></table><br /><table style="font-family:Arial; font-size:10pt; border-style: groove ;border-color:#00ff00;background-color:#fffcf9; color:#000000; "><tr><td ><b>Spreadsheet Formulas</b></td></tr><tr><td ><table border = "1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" style="font-family:Arial; font-size:9pt;"><tr style="background-color:#cacaca; font-size:10pt;"><td >Cell</td><td >Formula</td></tr><tr><td >D2</td><td >=MATCH("*"&C2&"*",A:A,0)</td></tr><tr><td >D3</td><td >=MATCH("*"&C3&"*",A:A,0)</td></tr><tr><td >D4</td><td >=MATCH("*"&C4&"*",A:A,0)</td></tr><tr><td >D5</td><td >=MATCH("*"&C5&"*",A:A,0)</td></tr><tr><td >D6</td><td >=MATCH("*"&C6&"*",A:A,0)</td></tr><tr><td >D7</td><td >=MATCH("*"&C7&"*",A:A,0)</td></tr></table></td></tr></table>

 

[redrabbit]

thank you guys for such a quick reply and helping out a fellow forumite. I really appreciate your help and guidance.

I will have a play with your recommendations, I think Alpha Frogs example is going to the trick, thanks abi_learn_vba for the wildcard trick as i didn't know it was possible.

jodders