Formula, for assigning numbers based off of column data?

[gsmonk]

Hello All,

I have an excel file, sent to us several times a week, that has several thousand inventory items in it. Each item belongs to a category which is listed in column A, there are approx. 50 different categories.

My issue/problem is, I need to assign each category to a number and list it in a blank column. I need to automate this a little thru the use of a formula’s since I have to do this several times a week. I know there is a way/formula but just can’t think of it.

Thanks in advance for the help.

gsmonk

[Ron Coderre]

I believe a VLOOKUP function and a list will help you here....

Example:

D1:D5 contains this list
Alpha
Bravo
Charlie
Delta
Echo

E1:E5 contains these values
10
15
5
9
1

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Is that something you can work with?

[gsmonk]

Hello Ron Coderro,

Sorry but I do not understand your example. Allow me to elaborate upon my first question. In our excel file containing inventory items. Column A is the Product Category; for example: Baseballs, Bats, Footballs, Boxing gloves. Column B is the product name, Column C is the sku number and so on.

I would like to assign a specific number to each product category name; for example: Baseballs will be assigned 5567, Bats will be assigned 5577, Footballs will be assigned 5589, and etc. Then I would like to put those numbers in our next blank column for each corresponding item, for example Column Y. I am sorry if I confused you.

Thanks for helping.

gsmonk