VLOOKUP with contacts - contact name appears but not the associated info

Danielle O'Connell

I have a sheet where I am using VLOOKUP in a contact column to pull in the associated project manager based on a date. The VLOOKUP is your standard formula:

=VLOOKUP($[Target Date]$5, {Launch Date}, 3, false)

The reference table is at column 3 is also a contact column and the project managers in this column have their email info, etc showing up like you would typical expect for a contact column. My VLOOKUP column, however, is only pulling in the person's name and doesn't seem to recognize them to have their email. This is limiting my ability to setup workflows on the new sheet.

Anyone have any ideas what I'm doing wrong?

what I see in my new contact column with the vlookup:

This is what my contact looks like in the sheet I'm referencing in vlookup:

Genevieve P.

Hi @Danielle O'Connell

I'm unable to replicate this... can you check some of the other settings?

It shouldn't make a difference, but can you ensure that both columns properties are set up the same, that both either have Allow Multiple Contacts checked or unchecked?

Also, are the contact values listed in the column properties? (Again, it shouldn't make a difference, but I'm interested to see if it will change the output.)

Antonio Figueroa

Make sure your vlookup column is a contact column as Well.

Danielle O'Connell

both columns are formatted as contact columns and it's still not pulling in the contact info.

Genevieve P.

Hi @Danielle O'Connell

I'm unable to replicate this... can you check some of the other settings?

It shouldn't make a difference, but can you ensure that both columns properties are set up the same, that both either have Allow Multiple Contacts checked or unchecked?

Also, are the contact values listed in the column properties? (Again, it shouldn't make a difference, but I'm interested to see if it will change the output.)

Danielle O'Connell

@Genevieve P you figured it out! It was the Allow Multiple Contacts that was different. Checking that in the sheet with the VLOOKUP formula fixed it and now the contacts are pulling in as they should. Thank you for your help!

Genevieve P.

Aha! I take it back, it does make a difference!

Glad we figured it out. 🙂