look up value in other sheet when searching data isn't exact match

CDS

Hello I have a column in a project task sheet called Customer Name, where users enter the short version of a customer name:

I want to populate line number in the project task sheet with data from a separate active projects sheet but the customer name in the Active Project sheet is not an exact match to the project task sheet

I've tried a couple of different formulas and can't get this to work

MedaUser

Have you tried the VLOOKUP? If so, did you enter the 4th command in it as TRUE? (i.e. 1. search value, 2. table, 3. column reference, 4. TRUE)

CDS

yes tried =VLOOKUP([Customer Name]:[Customer Name], {Active Projects Phase Gate Range 1}, {Active Projects Phase Gate Range 2}, true)

and get

{Active Projects Phase Gate Range 1} is the column with the customer name in active projects sheet and {Active Projects Phase Gate Range 2} is the column with the line number

Andrée Starå

Hi @CDS

I hope you're well and safe!

Is Bedford unique? You could maybe use the CONTAIN function.

I hope that helps!

Be safe and have a fantastic week!

Best,

Andrée Starå | Workflow Consultant / CEO @ WORK BOLD

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CDS

I changed my formula to:

=VLOOKUP(CONTAINS([Customer Name]@row, {Active Projects Phase Gate Range 1}), {Active Projects Customer Name and Line Number}, 2, true)

With Active Projects Phase Gate Range 1 being the column with the customer name from the active projects sheets and {Active Projects Customer Name and Line Number} being the customer name and line number columns from the active project sheet, Line number is 2nd column

and now I get no match, I tried copying the exact customer name from the active project sheet into the project task and it still says no match, the Customer Names on the active project sheet are Unique they are just formatted to also include state and other information