vlookup value from previous column
 

The instructions for vlookup say the lookup value must be in the first column
of the lookup array. Unfortunately I want to look up values in a spreadsheet
with a standard format which I can't change, and the lookup value is in
column B and the value I want to return is in column A. Is there a clever
trick of getting vlookup to do this (other than simply making a personal copy
of the spreadsheet with the columns reversed)?

Grateful for ideas.

vlookup value from previous column
 

=INDEX(A:A,MATCH(D2,B:B,0))
Matches the exact value in D2 with a value in column B and returns column A.
Adjust as desired.

"simonc" wrote:

The instructions for vlookup say the lookup value must be in the first column
of the lookup array. Unfortunately I want to look up values in a spreadsheet
with a standard format which I can't change, and the lookup value is in
column B and the value I want to return is in column A. Is there a clever
trick of getting vlookup to do this (other than simply making a personal copy
of the spreadsheet with the columns reversed)?

Grateful for ideas.