Where does excel store vlookup linked file data?

[rachelpatricia]

I have a file that uses vlookups. You can select a company from a drop downlist and it will populate a formatted table with standardized financial data. This is accomplished by vlookup. The vlookup links to another excel SS that I don't have, and is the source of the data. Obviously, excel stores these values in my sheet with the vlookup, but where? Is it possible to access them other than through the interface?

 

[NateO]

Hello,

It will be the 2nd argument to your function. E.g.,

VlookUp(Argument1, Argument2, etc...)

If the 2nd argument is something that doesn't look like an Excel Range, it's probably a Name.

Not too hard to audit, but it is a reason that I don't like 'em... Look up the Name by clicking Insert-Name->Define and look for the name, then select it and check out the Refers to text box.

Good hunting, eh.

 

[rachelpatricia]

Thanks for the reply.

The problem is in a file that the 2nd Argument is another excel fle. Moreover, if that file(2nd Argument) doesn't exist, the Vlookup in the first excel file still works. This implies to me that the results of the vlookups are store in the first excel file, even after the 2nd excel file that contains the data, no longer exits.

So, where is it stored and how do you access it?

I can send you a sample file to make this more explicit.

 

[NateO]

The source data is always stored in the location specified in the 2nd argument. If that is an external file, that is where the data is housed.

VLookup() is an algorithm, not a database. And, the 2nd argument is not optional, only the 4th argument is optional.

How about posting the function in question?