Thanks for your input.

Maybe I could be a little more precise. I have a TECH DATA SHEET, of which I
fill in entirely too much information.
As I fill in the data, I choose a PO #, Date, Salesperson, etc. (Ex)

TECH DATA
A B C D
E F G
1 PO # | DATE | Salesperson | Customer | Address | Item |
QTY |etc
2 10001 9-5-06 Tim Disney x
y z
3 10007 9-5-06 Josh Starbucks x
y z
4 10018 9-5-06 Kent Microsoft x
y z
5 10034 9-5-06 Josh Apple x
y z
6 10067 9-5-06 Josh NIKE x
y z

Column C:C is a DROP DOWN (validation list) that refers to the whole list of
company salespeople (W2:W14).

From this TECH DATA SHEET, I have generated an individual sheet per
salesperson with only basic, need to know information. (Ex)

JOSH
A B C D
E
PO # | Issue Date | Due Date | Cost | Status
1
2
3
4

As of right now I have the issue date(B:B), due date (C:C), cost (D:D) and
status (E:E) in a VLOOKUP dependant on the reference of a PO # (A:A).
However, I have to manually type in the PO # in the cell (A2) to bring up the
other information (B2)(C2) (D2) (E2). I would prefer to have the hole sheet
locked, and have the PO # be entered when I select that given Salesperson in
the DROP DOWN list located in the TECH DATA SHEET.

So in the TECH DATA SHEET, if I were to select "JOSH" from the DROP DOWN
LIST(C3), I would like to have that PO # (A3) be referenced in the JOSH SHEET
(A2) . In the TECH DATA SHEET, if I were to select "JOSH" again from the drop
down list, (C5), I would like to have that PO # (A5) be referenced in the
JOSH SHEET (A3). And etc.

Hope this helps. And thanks for your time.

cheers!

Scott
"JLatham" wrote:

Duplicates are always a concern. Here's one way to start handling it.

Set up a cell using Data | Validation and choosing List as the type of data
and identify the entire list of names as the source. That way you'll be able
to pick a valid name at that cell. Let us assume you set that up in cell D1
and the names list is in column C.

Then to get the PO#, for the FIRST instance of the name you choose in D1 as
it appears in column C, use this formula somewhere (maybe D2?)
=LOOKUP(D1,C1:C20,A1:A20)

In the example, I'm assuiming there are PO #s in A1:A20 and the list of
names is in C1:C20.

"scott" wrote:

I want to return information based on a name I select from a drop down list
of salespeople. Setting up the basic equation was simple enough.

In a sheet (call it JOSH), I set up for an indivudual salesperson's account,
I entered this formula.

=if('techdata'C9="josh",A9,"") where A9 was a PO # i wanted to return.

This works fine on an individual row basis, however I would like to set up
an equation that would search a whole column (C:C) for any cell that "josh"
is selected from a drop down list and return cell A from that cell's row.

I have a general idea, but I wonder if duplicates would be an issue.

=if('techdata'C:C="josh",A:A,"")
i doubt this would work, is there a way that i could search and only return
the same PO # once?

Maybe i am just a wishful thinker. Hope I was clear enough.

Cheers