Formula error in link to another spreadsheet

Copper Contributor

I am trying to fetch data from one spreadsheet into another. no matter which lookup formula I use, I get an error:

 

There is a problem with this formula.

Not trying to type a formula?

When the first character is an (=) or (-) sign, Excel thinks it is a formula.

 

Since I am using the Formula ribbon, "lookup & reference" button function, it should work with the link? 

8 Replies

Hi @Gary_Bostock,

Can you copy your formula here? It could help figuring out what your issue is.

@Gary_Bostock 

In general formulas do not work wit links, they work with values and references. It's not clear what you try to do - create a link on the cell in another workbook; or create formula which takes value from the cell in another workbook based on some parameters how to find such cell?

@Sergei Baklan I want to use a referenced cell value in spreadsheet 1 to find the cell content next to the corresponding value in a column in spreadsheet 2.

@Bennadeau =XLOOKUP(A47.'LISTINGS 2020.xlsx'!Code.'LISTINGS 2020.xlsx'!Description)

 

The formula is referencing cell A47 and is in a spreadsheet WCCOSTINGS, looking for source data contained in spreadsheet named LISTINGS 2020

 

Thanks

@Gary_Bostock 

 

It seems like a simple vlookup would do the trick here.

=VLOOKUP(A47,'[LISTING 2020.xlsx]Sheet1'!$A:$B,2,0)

Change "sheet1" for the sheet name where your data is.

Change "$A:$B" for where your table is.

This reads: "Find the value located in A47 within column A of Listing 2020.xlsx, sheet1. Then return the value located right next to it (in column B).

I hope this helps.

@Gary_Bostock 

Are you sure you have dot as separator, not comma? I mean

=XLOOKUP(A47,'LISTINGS 2020.xlsx'!Code,'LISTINGS 2020.xlsx'!Description)

instead of
=XLOOKUP(A47.'LISTINGS 2020.xlsx'!Code.'LISTINGS 2020.xlsx'!Description)

@Sergei Baklan 

@Bennadeau 

So I use the tool to do the formula

Gary_Bostock_0-1606903281510.jpeg

 

And the result is

 

=VLOOKUP(A14.'[LISTINGS 2020.xlsx]TIMBER'!$A$7:$A$147.'[LISTINGS 2020.xlsx]TIMBER'!$B$7:$B$147) which still throws up the same error.

 

Is there not perhaps some keyboard or numeric setting in my program options, I really don't see how the template provided can go wrong?

I have setup 2 clean spreadsheet to test the formula basically trying to do the same thing, VLOOKUP between spreadsheets and I am getting the same error.

 

@Gary_Bostock If you provide your test spreadsheets it will be easier to explain what's wrong exactly. In any case formula in your post won't work

=VLOOKUP(A14.   <= here shall be separator which is
                   comma or semicoln bu practically never dot
'[LISTINGS 2020.xlsx]TIMBER'!$A$7:$A$147.
                 <= the same (dot) and you take onlu one column
'[LISTINGS 2020.xlsx]TIMBER'!$B$7:$B$147)
                 <= for VLOOKUP here shall be column number, 
                    not the reference on the column.
Except dots that's XLOOKUP formula structure, not VLOOKUP.