VLOOKUP can't use value from formula for lookup value?

[PatRichard]

I have a product number that I use multiple cells to grab various characters from. So, example is UI1950202TB, and then one cell grabs the 'U', next cell grabs the 'I', etc. I'm trying to then use VLOOKUPs to take the values of those cells and populate others. It seems that for cells where the computed value is a number, it doesn't work. But cells where the computed value is letters, works fine.

If I hard code the numbers in those cells instead of calculating by using MID(), the VLOOKUPs work fine. It's just when I use a formula to determine their value that the numeric ones fail.

Ideas on workarounds?

 

[Aladin Akyurek]

What is the formula that generates U?

What is the VLOOKUP formula which apparently uses this U als look up value?

 

[PatRichard]

'U' is grabbed via =MID(Input!D3,1,1)
Then, I use =VLOOKUP(Data!$I$2,Data!A2:Data!B7,2)

The third and fourth characters don't use a VLOOKUP

Next character is a 5, which is grabbed via =MID(Input!D3,5,1) and stored in Data!L2
and the corresponding VLOOKUP is =VLOOKUP(Data!$L$2,Data!A31:Data!B36,2)

I tried putting the MID() call in the VLOOKUP formula, and that didn't work either.
If I change the value of Data!L2 to 5, the VLOOKUP works fine.

 

[PatRichard]

Whoops - let me try that again.

'U' is grabbed via =MID(Input!D3,1,1) and is stored in Data!I2
Then, I use =VLOOKUP(Data!$I$2,Data!A2:Data!B7,2) - this works fine

The third and fourth characters don't use a VLOOKUP

Next character is a 5, which is grabbed via =MID(Input!D3,5,1) and stored in Data!L2
and the corresponding VLOOKUP is =VLOOKUP(Data!$L$2,Data!A31:Data!B36,2) - this does NOT work, showing '#N/A'

I tried putting the MID() call in the VLOOKUP formula, and that didn't work either.
If I change the value of Data!L2 to 5, the VLOOKUP works fine.

 

[Aladin Akyurek]

Are these formulas implemented in the Data sheet?

 

[PatRichard]

The MID() calls are. The VLOOKUPs are on the Input sheet.

 

[Aladin Akyurek]

The MID() calls are. The VLOOKUPs are on the Input sheet.

Could you post A2:D7 of Data here? (Post fake data if the data is sensitive.)

 

[PatRichard]

E	US manufactured for export (green label)		E
F	Federal		F
G	Rebuilds FET IN (orange label)		G
M	Military		M
P	AU manufactured		P
U	US manufactured for domestic/Canada		U

<colgroup><col style="mso-width-source:userset;mso-width-alt:4238;width:89pt" width="119"> <col style="mso-width-source:userset;mso-width-alt:14392;width:304pt" width="405"> <col style="width:48pt" width="64"> <col style="mso-width-source:userset;mso-width-alt:4238;width:89pt" width="119"> </colgroup><tbody>
</tbody>

That far right column is D. C is a blank column.

 

[Aladin Akyurek]

Do these work?

=VLOOKUP(Data!$I$2,Data!$A$2:$B$7,2,0)

=VLOOKUP(Data!$L$2,Data!$A$31:$B$36,2,0)

 

[PatRichard]

Do these work?

=VLOOKUP(Data!$I$2,Data!$A$2:$B$7,2,0)

=VLOOKUP(Data!$L$2,Data!$A$31:$B$36,2,0)

The first one does, but the second one doesn't.