=IF(B1="","",INDEX($C$1:$C$5,MATCH(B1,$A$1:$A$5,FA LSE)))
We test to see if the B cell is blank
If not we match B's value with the A vector, and then find corresponding
item in C vector

But since A is 1,2,3,4 we could simplify the last part to
=INDEX($C$1:$C$5,B1)
best wishes
--
Bernard V Liengme
Microsoft Excel MVP
http://people.stfx.ca/bliengme
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"AMSH" wrote in message
...
Hey,

Can anybody tell me how to get around excel's requirement that the lookup
vector must have sorted data - if the data isn't sorted it returns an
incorrect value.

Example:
Column A contains: 1,2,3,4,5
Column B contains: 5 blank cells, 4,5,1,3,2
Column C contains: E,D,C,B,A

I want to lookup a cell in column B - B8 (1) in column A - A1 and return
the
corresponding value in column C - C1.

Any ideas?

Many thanks,

AMSH