looking for an efficient vlookup

rbriceno

New Member
Joined
May 15, 2012
Messages
10
Dear forum members. I have an Excel file with several columns. The last five columns have codes for bills. These columns are named B1, B2, B3, B4, B5. Not all the records have these codes assigned. However, for those that effectively have these codes I must look up for a value in another Excel File and attach it into a new column. The new value required is called cost. The issue I'm facing is that the Excel file where the cost comes also have five bill variables (B1, B2, B3, B4, B5). Sincé B1 could be found in any of the five bill columns I looked the value of B1 in each of the 5 columns of the second file, but I did that independently (I mean one column for each lookup, B1 on B1, B1 on B2, etc.) The result is that I have 25 columns that guarantee that I found the coincidences and used the cost associated. My question to the fórum is: is there a way that I can do this in a shorter number of columns?

Thanks for your time
 

Excel Facts

How to fill five years of quarters?
Type 1Q-2023 in a cell. Grab the fill handle and drag down or right. After 4Q-2023, Excel will jump to 1Q-2024. Dash can be any character.

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