Paul,
Use VLOOKUP:

=VLOOKUP(contractor_name,Contractor_Table,2,false)

Where contractor_table is your two columns (name and ID) and the lookup will
return the ID (the 2 in the formula refers to the 2nd item (column) in your
table)

e.g =Vlookup(d2,sheet2!a2:b50,2,false)

HTH

"Paul" wrote:

I would appreciate some help with what I think is a form of lookup function
in Excel.

I have added two cells in a worksheet, One showing contractor name and one
next to it showing Contractor ID number. The data for both these cells needs
to come form a lookup list.

I have a lookup list in one column showing the contractor name for test
purposes showing:

Contractor 1 1234
Contractor 2 2345
Contractor 3 4456
Contractor 4 5656
Contractor 5 5656
Contractor 6 7878

In the column next to this I have listed the Contractor ID numbers.

The Contractor name cell uses the Validation list function to show a
dropdown from the lookup table of contractors. My question after all this
babble is how do I get the Contractor ID Number cell to automatically display
the correct number when a Contractor is selected form the Contractor Name
dropdown?


Any advice pointing me in the right direction would be great!