A formula can only return a result - not a format. You could add
another column to your lookup table with some code to represent the
format you want (eg RB for red bold) and return this to a cell adjacent
to your current lookup, then use conditional formatting on this cell -
you are limited to 3 conditions with this. You can hide the column with
the formatting details if you wish.

Hope this helps.

Pete

hot dogs wrote:
I have a lookup table with a list of info in the return column, different
cells in the list have different formats, i.e. some parts that can't be
bought from a certain suppliers are in bold red. When the lookup function
returns one of these cells it has standard formatting not the formatting from
the source cell, i.e. black text which is not bold. If I change the
formatting of the destination cell then even the parts that can be bought
from a certain supplier will be in bold red which is not what i want. is it
possible to have the cell formated how the desination cell is formatted?