Is this what you mean

=SUMPRODUCT(--(MATCH(UPPER(MID(C1,ROW(INDIRECT("1:"&LEN(C1))),1) ),A1:A26,0))
)

--

HTH

RP
(remove nothere from the email address if mailing direct)


"Rob" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I have a school project that I'd like to produce a Excel formula for. We
have two columns, the first has letters and the second has numbers eg.
cell
A1 = A, cell B1 = 1, cell A2 = B and cell B2 = 2 and so on to Z = 26.

I have a simple look up formula that sums the value of numbers assigned to
each letter entered into several cells but I'd like to formula (thing an
array) whereby I type a word into a single cell and in another cell the
value is shown? The letters entered could contain spaces eg a first name
and surname and I guess shouldn't be longer than 26 characters.

Any points most welcome, Rob