=lookup formula only retrieving part of my chart data. HELP!

Copper Contributor

So I am creating a list of names so that I can quickly input room assignments for students to report to on certain days. The idea is that I can type the letter "a" on a day next to a student's name and that "a" appears as a room number on a schedule section of my spreadsheet. I am using 1-9 and a-z as these code letters.

 

 The formula I am using is =LOOKUP(D:D,Y:Y,Z:Z ) . The D column is my input space. The Y and Z columns are my data chart with corresponding room number and the formula cell is the schedule.  As an example, the letter "c" refers to Room # C110 on my chart. So when I type a "c" in the D column it drops a "C110" in the formula cell.

 

This all works flawlessly on my spreadsheet until I try to use letters v, w, x, y, z.  The numbers 1-9 work just fine and work as intended. As does a-u. However, even though v-z are on my chart the formula creates a "0" value when I attempt to input those codes.

 

Help! I don't see why this should not work!

 

 See my video to help give you a better understanding of my issue.

3 Replies

Hello Andrew

 

Since your fomula is using the whole column Y for lookup, every entry in this column will be matched. There is probably some text down below.

Better restrict the formula to the actual cells.

 

=LOOKUP(D4,$Y$3:$Y$37,$Z$3:$Z$37)

 


@Detlef Lewin wrote:

Hello Andrew

 

Since your fomula is using the whole column Y for lookup, every entry in this column will be matched. There is probably some text down below.

Better restrict the formula to the actual cells.

 

=LOOKUP(D4,$Y$3:$Y$37,$Z$3:$Z$37)

 

Thank you so much for your help. I have tried limiting my formula to only Z3 to Z37 and Y3 to Y37, but it still gives me a zero value for v, w, x, y, z. I have tried moving my chart to different columns (Q, R, S) and still same issue.  I even retyped the chart from scatch. It still gives me the 0 value for v-z. Getting frustrated, lol.





 

 

 

Hi Andrew,

 

If you attach your file removing all unnecessary information it'll much easier to help.