Data validation and Vlookup

[jimbojames136]

Hi,

 

I'm trying to use a data validation drop down to select a subject in column D1, and in C1 I want the subjects Qualification code to populate.

Lots of forums are saying about indirect lookups or using named ranges.

 

Nothing i have read seems to work. Does anyone have any solutions?

 

thanks

James

[pcstru]

vlookup should work for that and named ranges are good practice for that. Can you upload your spreadsheet or enough of an example so we can see what might be going wrong?

[jimbojames136]

This is the sheet, should be pretty self explanatory...

 

actually ignore column B

that's something else i just tried to get it working.

Book1.xlsx

Edited January 30, 2014 by jimbojames136

[pcstru]

I add Subj Code to column D in sheet 2 and then select the block C2->D820 and give it the name "Desc2Code".

 

On sheet1, the vlookup then looks like =VLOOKUP(A2,Desc2Code,2,FALSE).

 

Vlookup needs the information you want to lookup to be to the right of the information you are using to look it up (the 2 in the column offset can't be negative).

Edited January 30, 2014 by pcstru

[jimbojames136]

Yeah i can see what you mean now. Ive moved the columns and its worked fine. Quite a simple problem really.

 

thanks very much for your help pcstru.