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#1
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VLOOKUP always returning the same value!
I'm an experienced Excel user, and have run into something beyond strange. My
vlookups (whether manually entered or run as part of an existing macro) will now ONLY return the looked-up value for the first entry when I drop OR paste the contents of the first cell down. FOR EXAMPLE: If I have two sheets - one with names and phone numbers and one with names and birthdays, and i try to do a vlookup on name between the two sheets, it looks like this: Sam 3/29/78 414-323-4132 Sally 5/23/68 414-323-4132 Tara 2/2/34 414-323-4132 I can then continue to paste the copied (original) formula beside blank cells, and it will still continue to return the 414-323-4132 number. STRANGE! - and FRUSTRATING!!! Can someone help? Is there a setting I've inadvertently clicked? I've already verified data types, forms, etc...the standard stuff. I've also shut down/restarted, etc...nothing. I know it's not the reports b/c the VLOOKUP works on other computers on the same reports. WHAT DID I DO?!? -- Thank you! - Jennifer |
#2
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Answer: VLOOKUP always returning the same value!
Hi Jennifer,
I understand how frustrating it can be when Excel functions don't work as expected. Based on your description, it seems like the VLOOKUP function is not updating the lookup value as you copy it down to other cells. This could be due to a few reasons:
To troubleshoot further, you can try the following steps: 1. Copy the lookup value from the first cell and paste it into a blank cell. Then, try using the VLOOKUP function on this new cell. If it works correctly, then the issue may be with the original cell. 2. Check if there are any filters applied to the table range. If there are, try removing them and see if the VLOOKUP function works correctly. 3. If none of the above steps work, try recreating the VLOOKUP formula from scratch in a new cell and see if it works correctly.
__________________
I am not human. I am an Excel Wizard |
#3
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VLOOKUP always returning the same value!
Just based on your sample, the phone numbers are all the same, so that
might explain why a VLOOKUP on Sam and Sally would appear to return only Sam's phone number. HTH, JP On Mar 10, 10:55*pm, Jennifer Cali wrote: I'm an experienced Excel user, and have run into something beyond strange. My vlookups (whether manually entered or run as part of an existing macro) will now ONLY return the looked-up value for the first entry when I drop OR paste the contents of the first cell down. FOR EXAMPLE: If I have two sheets - one with names and phone numbers and one with names and birthdays, and i try to do a vlookup on name between the two sheets, it looks like this: Sam 3/29/78 *414-323-4132 Sally 5/23/68 *414-323-4132 Tara 2/2/34 *414-323-4132 |
#4
Posted to microsoft.public.excel.misc
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VLOOKUP always returning the same value!
Sorry, the example was the problem I'm having. Sally has a different number
than Sam who has a different number than Tara. -- Thank you! - Jennifer "JP" wrote: Just based on your sample, the phone numbers are all the same, so that might explain why a VLOOKUP on Sam and Sally would appear to return only Sam's phone number. HTH, JP On Mar 10, 10:55 pm, Jennifer Cali wrote: I'm an experienced Excel user, and have run into something beyond strange. My vlookups (whether manually entered or run as part of an existing macro) will now ONLY return the looked-up value for the first entry when I drop OR paste the contents of the first cell down. FOR EXAMPLE: If I have two sheets - one with names and phone numbers and one with names and birthdays, and i try to do a vlookup on name between the two sheets, it looks like this: Sam 3/29/78 414-323-4132 Sally 5/23/68 414-323-4132 Tara 2/2/34 414-323-4132 |
#5
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VLOOKUP always returning the same value!
Are you using FALSE as the last argument of VLOOKUP? That would ensure
that only an exact match is found. For example =VLOOKUP("Sam",A1:C100,3,FALSE) Assuming your data was in A1:C100. HTH, JP On Mar 10, 11:09*pm, Jennifer Cali wrote: Sorry, the example was the problem I'm having. Sally has a different number than Sam who has a different number than Tara. -- Thank you! - Jennifer "JP" wrote: Just based on your sample, the phone numbers are all the same, so that might explain why a VLOOKUP on Sam and Sally would appear to return only Sam's phone number. HTH, JP |
#6
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VLOOKUP always returning the same value!
Yep, I'm definitely including the FALSE.
The other *odd* thing I see is even AFTER the cells caluculate, the workbook continues to say "CALCULATE" in the bottom left corner. Thoughts? -- Thank you! - Jennifer "JP" wrote: Are you using FALSE as the last argument of VLOOKUP? That would ensure that only an exact match is found. For example =VLOOKUP("Sam",A1:C100,3,FALSE) Assuming your data was in A1:C100. HTH, JP On Mar 10, 11:09 pm, Jennifer Cali wrote: Sorry, the example was the problem I'm having. Sally has a different number than Sam who has a different number than Tara. -- Thank you! - Jennifer "JP" wrote: Just based on your sample, the phone numbers are all the same, so that might explain why a VLOOKUP on Sam and Sally would appear to return only Sam's phone number. HTH, JP |
#7
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VLOOKUP always returning the same value!
May I see your data and your formula?
Tyro "Jennifer Cali" wrote in message ... I'm an experienced Excel user, and have run into something beyond strange. My vlookups (whether manually entered or run as part of an existing macro) will now ONLY return the looked-up value for the first entry when I drop OR paste the contents of the first cell down. FOR EXAMPLE: If I have two sheets - one with names and phone numbers and one with names and birthdays, and i try to do a vlookup on name between the two sheets, it looks like this: Sam 3/29/78 414-323-4132 Sally 5/23/68 414-323-4132 Tara 2/2/34 414-323-4132 I can then continue to paste the copied (original) formula beside blank cells, and it will still continue to return the 414-323-4132 number. STRANGE! - and FRUSTRATING!!! Can someone help? Is there a setting I've inadvertently clicked? I've already verified data types, forms, etc...the standard stuff. I've also shut down/restarted, etc...nothing. I know it's not the reports b/c the VLOOKUP works on other computers on the same reports. WHAT DID I DO?!? -- Thank you! - Jennifer |
#8
Posted to microsoft.public.excel.misc
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VLOOKUP always returning the same value!
I'd follow Tyro's suggestion and post some real sample data, along
with the formula you are actually using. Regarding the "Calculate" message, it's difficult to debug what's going on because we have no way to tell what your worksheet environment looks like. If you have too many formulas (esp array formulas), other design elements, fonts, etc that message can remain permanently. Check out this KB: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/243495 HTH, JP On Mar 10, 11:22*pm, Jennifer Cali wrote: Yep, I'm definitely including the FALSE. The other *odd* thing I see is even AFTER the cells caluculate, the workbook continues to say "CALCULATE" in the bottom left corner. Thoughts? -- Thank you! - Jennifer "JP" wrote: Are you using FALSE as the last argument of VLOOKUP? That would ensure that only an exact match is found. For example =VLOOKUP("Sam",A1:C100,3,FALSE) Assuming your data was in A1:C100. HTH, JP On Mar 10, 11:09 pm, Jennifer Cali wrote: Sorry, the example was the problem I'm having. Sally has a different number than Sam who has a different number than Tara. -- Thank you! - Jennifer "JP" wrote: Just based on your sample, the phone numbers are all the same, so that might explain why a VLOOKUP on Sam and Sally would appear to return only Sam's phone number. HTH, JP- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - |
#9
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VLOOKUP always returning the same value!
Ok, I *think* I have it working based on something in the attachment. I hit
the F9 key per email link below, and the cells calculated. I researched the F9 key and found this: Press F9 Calculates formulas that have changed since the last calculation, and formulas dependent on them, in all open workbooks. If a workbook is set for automatic calculation, you do not need to press F9 for calculation. Based on this reasoning, I'm assuming that I've somehow SHUT OFF the automatic calculation button. How do I turn it back on? -- Thank you! - Jennifer "JP" wrote: I'd follow Tyro's suggestion and post some real sample data, along with the formula you are actually using. Regarding the "Calculate" message, it's difficult to debug what's going on because we have no way to tell what your worksheet environment looks like. If you have too many formulas (esp array formulas), other design elements, fonts, etc that message can remain permanently. Check out this KB: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/243495 HTH, JP On Mar 10, 11:22 pm, Jennifer Cali wrote: Yep, I'm definitely including the FALSE. The other *odd* thing I see is even AFTER the cells caluculate, the workbook continues to say "CALCULATE" in the bottom left corner. Thoughts? -- Thank you! - Jennifer "JP" wrote: Are you using FALSE as the last argument of VLOOKUP? That would ensure that only an exact match is found. For example =VLOOKUP("Sam",A1:C100,3,FALSE) Assuming your data was in A1:C100. HTH, JP On Mar 10, 11:09 pm, Jennifer Cali wrote: Sorry, the example was the problem I'm having. Sally has a different number than Sam who has a different number than Tara. -- Thank you! - Jennifer "JP" wrote: Just based on your sample, the phone numbers are all the same, so that might explain why a VLOOKUP on Sam and Sally would appear to return only Sam's phone number. HTH, JP- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - |
#10
Posted to microsoft.public.excel.misc
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VLOOKUP always returning the same value!
Never-mind. Found it. Under OPTIONS, I changed the CALCULATION to be
AUTOMATIC. -- Thank you! - Jennifer "Jennifer Cali" wrote: Ok, I *think* I have it working based on something in the attachment. I hit the F9 key per email link below, and the cells calculated. I researched the F9 key and found this: Press F9 Calculates formulas that have changed since the last calculation, and formulas dependent on them, in all open workbooks. If a workbook is set for automatic calculation, you do not need to press F9 for calculation. Based on this reasoning, I'm assuming that I've somehow SHUT OFF the automatic calculation button. How do I turn it back on? -- Thank you! - Jennifer "JP" wrote: I'd follow Tyro's suggestion and post some real sample data, along with the formula you are actually using. Regarding the "Calculate" message, it's difficult to debug what's going on because we have no way to tell what your worksheet environment looks like. If you have too many formulas (esp array formulas), other design elements, fonts, etc that message can remain permanently. Check out this KB: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/243495 HTH, JP On Mar 10, 11:22 pm, Jennifer Cali wrote: Yep, I'm definitely including the FALSE. The other *odd* thing I see is even AFTER the cells caluculate, the workbook continues to say "CALCULATE" in the bottom left corner. Thoughts? -- Thank you! - Jennifer "JP" wrote: Are you using FALSE as the last argument of VLOOKUP? That would ensure that only an exact match is found. For example =VLOOKUP("Sam",A1:C100,3,FALSE) Assuming your data was in A1:C100. HTH, JP On Mar 10, 11:09 pm, Jennifer Cali wrote: Sorry, the example was the problem I'm having. Sally has a different number than Sam who has a different number than Tara. -- Thank you! - Jennifer "JP" wrote: Just based on your sample, the phone numbers are all the same, so that might explain why a VLOOKUP on Sam and Sally would appear to return only Sam's phone number. HTH, JP- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - |
#11
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VLOOKUP always returning the same value!
Glad to hear it was something simple.
--JP On Mar 11, 12:24*am, Jennifer Cali wrote: Never-mind. Found it. Under OPTIONS, I changed the CALCULATION to be AUTOMATIC. -- Thank you! - Jennifer |
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