Help with VLOOKUP function for database use

[aferrero]

Hello, I am using excel as a database manager for a group I volunteer for. I am importing new data into One sheet, and populating a database on other sheets. I am trying to improve upon what was already completed by my predecessors.

My problem now is that I am trying to populate smaller database groups based on information from the main database, and when I "drag" the function down the column to populate it with a last name for example, it keeps giving me the first entry from the main database down the the entire column. here is an example of the function: =VLOOKUP(Key!$I$19,Membership!$A$2:$K$2683,1,False)

I am using the "Key" sheet to indicate what to base the search on the "Membership" sheet for. The 1 indicates the column it is looking up, (last name, phone number, etc...).

How can I get excel to recognize a duplicate entry and return the next entry in the search group?

Thanks for any help with this, it has stumped me and my colleagues for a while.

[morevijay1982]

use countif or use index and match function or attach your working sheet