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[Solved] VLOOKUP to the left column?

Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 2:51 am
by TengoKbailar
Hi All,
I am trying to use VLOOKUP to find a name in column J and return the date it was entered from column A. All the examples show returning a result from the column to the right of the search column. Can you tell me if VLOOKUP only works to the right and if/how I can find the date I need.

Thanks

Michael

Re: VLOOKUP to the left column?

Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 3:27 am
by RusselB
I'd suggest using a combination of INDEX and MATCH rather than VLOOKUP
VLOOKUP only returns information located to the right of the lookup column.

Re: VLOOKUP to the left column?

Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 4:25 am
by TengoKbailar
Hi RusselB,
I thought that would be the case with VLOOKUP.
I can do the match part but how do I incorporate the INDEX into the formula?
Thanks
Michael

Re: VLOOKUP to the left column?

Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 4:47 am
by FJCC
The formula will have the form

Code: Select all

=INDEX(A2:A100;MATCH())
assuming the dates you want to return are in the range A2:A100. If the value you are looking for is in B1, the formula might be

Code: Select all

=INDEX(A2:A100;MATCH(B1;J2:J100;0))

Re: VLOOKUP to the left column?

Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 5:09 am
by TengoKbailar
Thats Great
Thank you :-)

Michael