The short answer: It's not really clear what you're trying to do. Perhaps a
VLOOKUP or other lookup function would work. If you post formulas you're
currently using, and provide some detail about when they work and when they
don't, maybe someone could come up with a specific answer.

The longer answer: you may need to create a real database, not emulate one
in MS Excel. My experience is that you will run into data integrity issues
with the scheme you have, and all your efforts will be for naught. Excel's
not a database program, and expecting it to reliably retrieve data from
external tables of data is a dicey proposition, made even more so when you
state that multiple people will be maintaining the data.
--
Brevity is the soul of wit.


"twynsys" wrote:

I am working in two workbooks. One workbook contains data that need to be
populated into the second workbook. I want to be able to input a person's
last name into the second workbook and have it automatically retrieve the
data (first name and manager's first & last name) from the first workbook and
populate itself with the data.

I am able to do all that but I have a problem when it come to people that
have the same last name or the same first and last name. It searches the
first workbook and pulls the data for the first match, it will not search
past the first match. The only way to differentiate between the people is by
their manager's name (hoping they have different managers). There are key
identifiers but the people using the second workbook would not know what they
are, so they cannot use them.

Normally the first part of the problem could be resolved by using the Data-
Validation method. For the purpose of this project I cannot use the Data-
Validation method. The Data-Validation requires the first workbook to open
or be a second worksheet in the second workbook. I don't want that to happen
because of maintenance and the second workbook will be used by an entire dept
and can be used as a template for other workbooks. The first workbook will
be maintain by one or two people (myself included). I only want to update
the first workbook when necessary and have it automatically update the second
workbook.

The second workbook will not make any changes to the first workbook. Is
there a way to validate names w/o using the Data-Validation method or a combo
box?

I know this is a lot but I do appreciate any and all responses.