You can set up you Parts Detail Table in say A1:L100 on Sheet1, then if you
type a part number in A1 of sheet2, you could make the data in the second
column of your data table appear in B1 on sheet2 by entering in B2

=IF(A1="","",VLOOKUP(A1,Sheet1!$A$1:$L$100,2,FALSE ))

You might also want to put it in Access and draw it into Excel using a
parameter query...detail here

http://www.nickhodge.co.uk/gui/datam...taexamples.htm

--
HTH
Nick Hodge
Microsoft MVP - Excel
Southampton, England
HIS


"hotdoxy" wrote in message
...
I want to put a list of parts that go into an assembly into a data base
(excel or access) and to be able to easily retreve that list. The idea is
to
type in the number of the assembly and have that data appear on screen.
Any
suggestions would be helpful.