VLookup on same last names - different people
 

I have two files (one a different sourced subset of the other) and have put
last name in a column in each as the key field. The next column has First
name on one file and first middle initial on the other. Need to use a
vlookup but how do you do it across the same last name? Can I use a secondary
field; first name, location etc. to resolve to the right one?

VLookup on same last names - different people
 

You need to have unique key values - think along the lines of SSN's.....

HTH,
Bernie
MS Excel MVP


"ETC" wrote in message
...
I have two files (one a different sourced subset of the other) and have put
last name in a column in each as the key field. The next column has First
name on one file and first middle initial on the other. Need to use a
vlookup but how do you do it across the same last name? Can I use a secondary
field; first name, location etc. to resolve to the right one?

VLookup on same last names - different people
 

You could always CONCATENATE the First Name and Last Name fields first and
then using the CONCATENATED columns as the key, try your VLOOKUP again.
--
Hope this helps.

Matt S.


"Bernie Deitrick" wrote:

You need to have unique key values - think along the lines of SSN's.....

HTH,
Bernie
MS Excel MVP


"ETC" wrote in message
...
I have two files (one a different sourced subset of the other) and have put
last name in a column in each as the key field. The next column has First
name on one file and first middle initial on the other. Need to use a
vlookup but how do you do it across the same last name? Can I use a secondary
field; first name, location etc. to resolve to the right one?

VLookup on same last names - different people
 

Thanks Matt. My problem with that, I think, is that one file include middle
initial and other file doesn't causing the two concatenated fields to still
be different.

"Matt" wrote:

You could always CONCATENATE the First Name and Last Name fields first and
then using the CONCATENATED columns as the key, try your VLOOKUP again.
--
Hope this helps.

Matt S.


"Bernie Deitrick" wrote:

You need to have unique key values - think along the lines of SSN's.....

HTH,
Bernie
MS Excel MVP


"ETC" wrote in message
...
I have two files (one a different sourced subset of the other) and have put
last name in a column in each as the key field. The next column has First
name on one file and first middle initial on the other. Need to use a
vlookup but how do you do it across the same last name? Can I use a secondary
field; first name, location etc. to resolve to the right one?

VLookup on same last names - different people
 

Then unless you can find a unique field in each spreadsheet, you will not be
able to use the VLOOKUP
--
Hope this helps.

Matt S.


"ETC" wrote:

Thanks Matt. My problem with that, I think, is that one file include middle
initial and other file doesn't causing the two concatenated fields to still
be different.

"Matt" wrote:

You could always CONCATENATE the First Name and Last Name fields first and
then using the CONCATENATED columns as the key, try your VLOOKUP again.
--
Hope this helps.

Matt S.


"Bernie Deitrick" wrote:

You need to have unique key values - think along the lines of SSN's.....

HTH,
Bernie
MS Excel MVP


"ETC" wrote in message
...
I have two files (one a different sourced subset of the other) and have put
last name in a column in each as the key field. The next column has First
name on one file and first middle initial on the other. Need to use a
vlookup but how do you do it across the same last name? Can I use a secondary
field; first name, location etc. to resolve to the right one?