You can run a macro

http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/join.htm#trimall


same site has instructions on how to install macros

if the extra character is a space you can use

=VLOOKUP(A2,TRIM(range),column_index,FALSE)

replace A2 with your lookup value and range with your lookup table

entered with ctrl + shift & enter


--


Regards,

Peo Sjoblom

Excel 95 - Excel 2007
Northwest Excel Solutions
www.nwexcelsolutions.com



"Ekazakoff" wrote in message
...
I did find I have hidden characters. How do I get rid of them?
"Ekazakoff" wrote:

I am getting #N/A errors even when I have an apparently exact match in my
table array to the lookup value. I know that excel requires the formats
to
be exactly the same and I can force the match if I copy the lookup value
from
my table array and paste it into the worksheet. Is there an easy way to
"fix" my table array. The table array is a reference worksheet I have
created which has worked in the past.