vlookup and hlookup in excel

[vpatterson]

I am fairly new to excel and I am trying to take information from one excel file and have it automatically load information in another. I know it is possible with a formula but how do I use it? please help

[steven-g]

Do you want the information to be read or written? where is the information to start with and where should it go, will the workbooks be open? It's late here, but if you can give an example it would help a lot in explaining possible ways of doing it

[Mike_Taylor]

First off VLOOKUP can only be used if you're look up value is in the left most column (top most row for HLOOKUP) so there are limitations.

 

First off you need the look up value, second is your look up array, this is the entire set of data you are looking up the information in.

 

Last is you column number inside the array you just specified (3 is the 3rd column in the array, so the SKU number in the attached example). The HLOOKUP is identical with the rows and column being reversed.

 

Note that by adding FALSE at the end the first column (where you're look up value is) does not have to be sorted alphanumerically.

Computer.xlsx

[vpatterson]

I had some help from here at work and this is what we came up with and it works.

My second excel spreadsheet now automatically up dates after I fill in my Master List, so no more copying and pasting!

Thanks for yalls feedback!

Here is the formula I used just incase anyone else runs into the same problem.

=IF(VLOOKUP($A256,'HGD MASTER LIST 101306 my copy.xls'!MasterList,2,FALSE)="","",VLOOKUP($A256,'HGD MASTER LIST 101306 my copy.xls'!MasterList,2,FALSE))