Your source data is formatted using conditional formatting?
if not do conditional formatting
and using format paint, copy conditional formating to destination cells also,

Now source & destination cells will both have same formats.

Vlookup does not provide formats.

*** Please do rate ***

"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?