Customer ID Number and then find

[MeBeMel]

I want to create a customer ID for thousands of customers and then be able to find the customer by doing a search for the ID later. I'm even thinking of using a customer phone number for the ID. What function can I use to later find the customer?

[FDibbins]

Hi and welcome to the forum

You would probably use vlookup() or index/match combo for this

[MeBeMel]

Thanks. I've been reading the forum but I am really stumped with this one. Maybe I just don't understand vlookup() but I have not been able to get it to work properly. I'll research a bit more and see if I can figure it out with vlookup.

[FDibbins]

Color...Total Cost
Black...8
Blue...13
Green...4
Red...6
White...0

Find
Blue
13
=VLOOKUP(D2,$A$2:$B$6,2,0)

[MarvinP]

Hi Mel (You Be) and welcome to the forum.

Read http://spreadsheets.about.com/od/exc...320vlookup.htm or
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/13780...okup-in-excel/

for some examples of VLookup... I use it daily!!

[MeBeMel]

Thanks for the help. I'm on the right track now. I can get a specific column but is there a way to get the information from several columns?

656 Bob Jones 22nd Street Brown Car $4000

Can I use the 656 to generate the whole range of information?

[MarvinP]

YEP.

If 656 is in A4 and Bob is in B4 and Jones is in C4...

You would use the VLookup(656, RANGE, 3, False) to return the "JONES" as it is 3 columns to the right of the 656.
Change the 3 in the above formula to 7 and it should return the 4000.

[MeBeMel]

I was not very clear in my last post. If I have 656 in A4, Bob Jones in B4, 22nd Street in C4, Brown Car in D4 and $4000 in E4, how can I get the range of information from B4 to E4. Or is that even possible?

[MeBeMel]

I figured it out. It's very simply that I would need to do the vlookup for each column.

[sktneer]

It would be better if you upload a sample workbook with enough sample data in it and show the desired output filled manually. This will help the forum members to provide you an exact solution.

[MeBeMel]

I need a little more forum experience to be able to upload my practice file.

You guys have helped me figure out my issue though. Thanks