VLOOKUP function with embedded LEFT

I am using a VLOOKUP function to look up what State and area code is from.
The lookup value is being calculated by using a LEFT formula to pull the area
code from a cell where the full phone number is located. However, the LEFT
formula is adding " on each side of the area code when it calculates which
leads to an error in the lookup. Is there any way around this?

can you post the formula and phone number example please
--
hope to help,
cm


"SamB" wrote:

> I am using a VLOOKUP function to look up what State and area code is from.
> The lookup value is being calculated by using a LEFT formula to pull the area
> code from a cell where the full phone number is located. However, the LEFT
> formula is adding " on each side of the area code when it calculates which
> leads to an error in the lookup. Is there any way around this?

the phone number is 419-490-XXXX
the formula I am using is: =VLOOKUP(LEFT(F2,3),Sheet2!A1:B335,2,FALSE)

If I remove the LEFT statement and hardcode the 419 in as the lookup, it
works. If I use the formula, it returns a #N/A

"cm" wrote:

> can you post the formula and phone number example please
> --
> hope to help,
> cm
>
>
> "SamB" wrote:
>
> > I am using a VLOOKUP function to look up what State and area code is from.
> > The lookup value is being calculated by using a LEFT formula to pull the area
> > code from a cell where the full phone number is located. However, the LEFT
> > formula is adding " on each side of the area code when it calculates which
> > leads to an error in the lookup. Is there any way around this?

I have duplicated your error; the values in your lookup table in sheet2,
a1.... are numbers; replace your formual as follows:

=VLOOKUP(VALUE(LEFT(F2,3)),Sheet2!A1:B335,2,FALSE)

--
hope to help,
cm


"SamB" wrote:

> the phone number is 419-490-XXXX
> the formula I am using is: =VLOOKUP(LEFT(F2,3),Sheet2!A1:B335,2,FALSE)
>
> If I remove the LEFT statement and hardcode the 419 in as the lookup, it
> works. If I use the formula, it returns a #N/A
>
> "cm" wrote:
>
> > can you post the formula and phone number example please
> > --
> > hope to help,
> > cm
> >
> >
> > "SamB" wrote:
> >
> > > I am using a VLOOKUP function to look up what State and area code is from.
> > > The lookup value is being calculated by using a LEFT formula to pull the area
> > > code from a cell where the full phone number is located. However, the LEFT
> > > formula is adding " on each side of the area code when it calculates which
> > > leads to an error in the lookup. Is there any way around this?

cm wrote:
> I have duplicated your error; the values in your lookup table in sheet2,
> a1.... are numbers; replace your formual as follows:
>
> =VLOOKUP(VALUE(LEFT(F2,3)),Sheet2!A1:B335,2,FALSE)
>

or this:

=VLOOKUP(--LEFT(F2,3),Sheet2!A1:B335,2,FALSE)

Glenn, this worked as well. I have never seen -- used before. What command
is that giving?

"Glenn" wrote:

> cm wrote:
> > I have duplicated your error; the values in your lookup table in sheet2,
> > a1.... are numbers; replace your formual as follows:
> >
> > =VLOOKUP(VALUE(LEFT(F2,3)),Sheet2!A1:B335,2,FALSE)
> >
>
> or this:
>
> =VLOOKUP(--LEFT(F2,3),Sheet2!A1:B335,2,FALSE)
>

In this case, it converts the text returned by the LEFT() function into a number
(instead of text that looks like a number). That way it matches the data type
of your table and allows the VLOOKUP() to work properly.

SamB wrote:
> Glenn, this worked as well. I have never seen -- used before. What command
> is that giving?
>
> "Glenn" wrote:
>
>> cm wrote:
>>> I have duplicated your error; the values in your lookup table in sheet2,
>>> a1.... are numbers; replace your formual as follows:
>>>
>>> =VLOOKUP(VALUE(LEFT(F2,3)),Sheet2!A1:B335,2,FALSE)
>>>
>> or this:
>>
>> =VLOOKUP(--LEFT(F2,3),Sheet2!A1:B335,2,FALSE)
>>

The double unary minus is used (among other purposes) to convert a text
string into a number.

The left function LEFT(F2,3) returns a text string, so it might be "123"
-LEFT(F2,3) would then return the number -123
--LEFT(F2,3) would return the number 123.

In other places you'll see the double unary minus used to convert Boolean
TRUE and FALSE results to 1 and 0 respectively in a similar manner.
-TRUE returns -1, --TRUE returns 1.
-FALSE calculates -0 (which is 0), --FALSE returns 0.
--
David Biddulph


"SamB" > wrote in message
...
> Glenn, this worked as well. I have never seen -- used before. What
> command
> is that giving?
>
> "Glenn" wrote:
>
>> cm wrote:
>> > I have duplicated your error; the values in your lookup table in
>> > sheet2,
>> > a1.... are numbers; replace your formual as follows:
>> >
>> > =VLOOKUP(VALUE(LEFT(F2,3)),Sheet2!A1:B335,2,FALSE)
>> >
>>
>> or this:
>>
>> =VLOOKUP(--LEFT(F2,3),Sheet2!A1:B335,2,FALSE)
>>