You'll have to refresh my memory! I'm gettin old!

I'm a bit confused over this:

search three separate columns (i.e 'E', 'I' and 'M')

I need to match data that may be in columns F&G or J&K or N&O

So, which columns do you need to search?

Is this an "or" condition? For example, the lookup value might be in any one
of 3 columns. It might be in column E or it might be in column I or it might
be in column M. And, the lookup value will not be in more than 1 of those
columns

--
Biff
Microsoft Excel MVP


"ksean" wrote in message
...
Well... I am now in way over my head. :(

The example I provided and that you solved, very nicely I should add,
requires that the formula searches one column for the identifier, I don't
suppose that you could tell me how I can adapt your formula to search
three
separate columns (i.e 'E', 'I' and 'M') and return with a '----' if it
cannot
find a solution? You matched the data in columns 'F' & 'G' but I need to
match data that may be in columns F&G or J&K or N&O

The problem is that I am not just searching in one column for the
identifier, but I am searching for the identifier in three separate
columns
('E', 'I' and 'M') and if an answer cannot be found the formula needs to
returns with '----'.

Sorry to snowball this dilemma but I really do appreciate your help.

Oh and by the way I am running Excel 2003 so thanks for the tip about
Array's and whole columns. I guess I will have to stick with specific
ranges
until I upgrade the program.

Thanks again,
Ksean



"T. Valko" wrote:

Is there anything I should watch for when I
start attempting to adapt this formula?

Well, like with *any* formula the bigger the range references the longer
it
takes for the formula to calculate.

Also, since this is an array formula you can't use entire columns as
range
references *unless* you're using Excel 2007. For example, you can't do
this
*unless* you're using Excel 2007

=INDEX(Master!D:D,MATCH(1,(Master!F:F=B2)*(Master! G:G=C2),0))


--
Biff
Microsoft Excel MVP


"ksean" wrote in message
...
WOW... this formula is absolutly AWESOME!!

I would never of thought in a million years to hit 'CTRL,SHIFT,ENTER'
to
activate the formula!

It works really well on my small sample I just need to adapt it to my
real
working spreadsheets which ares substantially larger. Is there anything
I
should watch for when I start attempting to adapt this formula?

Thanks
ksean

"T. Valko" wrote:

Enter this array formula** on the Parents sheet in cell D2:

=INDEX(Master!D$2:D$9,MATCH(1,(Master!F$2:F$9=B2)* (Master!G$2:G$9=C2),0))

** array formulas need to be entered using the key combination of
CTRL,SHIFT,ENTER (not just ENTER). Hold down both the CTRL key and the
SHIFT
key then hit ENTER.

Copy down as needed.

Note that in your sample data there are duplicate parent names with
different addresses:

4 11 Ansell Jaime 9609-100 Street 18 Ansell Dave
5 3 Ansell Sean 3937-51 Street 35 Ansell Dave

The above formula will *only* find the address for the first instance
of
the
parent names.

--
Biff
Microsoft Excel MVP


"ksean" wrote in message
...
Please let me rework my question and correct my table with the
following
example

I have three sheets of data, the first sheet is named "MASTER" the
second
sheet is named "KIDS" and the third sheet is named "PARENTS"

On the MASTER sheet I have a database of kid's names complete with
addresses
and parent's names
MASTER sheet example
A B C D E F G
1 No. Last First Address No. Last First
2 1 Ambeault Chelsea RR2 3 Ambeault Kyla
3 6 Anderson Cache 419 Riverpark Dr 5 Anderson Shelley
4 11 Ansell Jaime 9609-100 Street 18 Ansell Dave
5 3 Ansell Sean 3937-51 Street 35 Ansell Dave
6 25 Antoniuk Braden 8146-94 Avenue 215 Antoniuk Chantal
7 9 Arbuckle Jay 10 Westwood Wynd 159 Arbuckle Gail
8 17 Banh Shally 10 Westwood Wynd 7 Banh Tien
9 21 Barbour Michael 438 Riverpark Dr 87 Barbour Dianna

On the KIDS sheet I have a database that consists of the kid's names
and
addresses. The formula that I am using is
=VLOOKUP(A3,master!$A$1:$O$177,2,FALSE) and it works very well.
KIDS sheet example
A B C D
1 No. Last First Address
2 1 Ambeault Chelsea RR2
3 3 Ansell Sean 3937-51 Street
4 6 Anderson Cache 419 Riverpark Dr
5 9 Arbuckle Jay 10 Westwood Wynd
6 11 Ansell Jaime 9609-100 Street
7 17 Banh Shally 10 Westwood Wynd
8 21 Barbour Michael 438 Riverpark Dr
9 25 Antoniuk Braden 8146-94 Avenue

On the PARENTS sheet I have a database that consists of the parent's
names
and addresses. The formula that I am using
=VLOOKUP(F3,master!$E$1:$O$177,2,FALSE) and it works very well for
the
names
but I cannot figure out how to reference the addresses.
PARENTS sheet example
A B C D
1 No. Last First Address
2 3 Ambeault Kyla ?
3 5 Anderson Shelley ?
4 7 Banh Tien ?
5 18 Ansell Dave ?
6 35 Ansell Dave ?
7 87 Barbour Dianna ?
8 159 Arbuckle Gail ?
9 215 Antoniuk Chantal ?

How do I get the address from the MASTER sheet to appear in the
correct
place on the PARENTS sheet while only referencing the PARENTS No.'s
from
column 'E' on the MASTER sheet?

Thanks
ksean

PS I don't know how to fix the MASTER table so it displays better in
this
forum...sorry!



"Mike H" wrote:

Hi,

I don't understand the question, in Vlookup the column that 3
refers
to
is
'always' the third column and the first column 'A' is always the
one
being
looked up. Perhaps you would be better giving us the lookup value
and
what
you expect to be returned from that but it sounds like you may mean
INDEX
&
MATCH.

Mike

"ksean" wrote:

When considering this formula
=VLOOKUP(B3,Master!$A$3:$O$4180,3,FALSE)
the
,3, refers to the second column to the right of a reference
column
on
the
Master sheet.

Using this formula and the following table where column 'C' is
the
reference
column and the ,3, refers to column 'E'; is there a way to refer
to
a
column
to the left of the reference column i.e. column 'A'?

MASTER sheet
A B C D E F
Ambeault Chelsea 1 Ambeault Kyla RR2
Anderson Cache 2 Anderson Shelley 419 Riverpark Dr
Ansell Jaime 3 Ansell Dave 9609-100 Street
Ansell Sean 4 Ansell Dave 3937-51 Street
Antoniuk Braden 5 Antoniuk Chantal 8146-94 Avenue
Arbuckle Jay 6 Arbuckle Gail 10 Westwood Wynd
Banh Shally 7 Banh Tien 10 Westwood Wynd
Barbour Michael 8 Barbour Dianna 438 Riverpark Dr

Suggestions are appreciated

Thanks
ksean