Lookup function

[fcociii]

I have created a lookup function to determine salary per individual based on
receipts. It works properly, but the resulting number representing salary is
not reading as a value. I need to be able to use the sum function to
determine the cumulative value of each persons salary and benefits, and then
the sum function to move the total into the budget as an expense item. The
salary (which is created by the lookup function) is not being added to my
total sums. Is there some way to get the lookup number to read or behave as a
real number? Thank you.

 

[David Biddulph]

If the values in the data you are looking up are text, they will stay text
when the lookup function uses the data. It might be worth trying a double
unary minus =--VLOOKUP(...) to see whether that changes it to a number. If
not, you need to look at your original data to see what you need to do to
change the value from text to a number. Note that merely changing the cell
format doesn't change the stored value from text to number; it would only
change how a number is displayed.

 

[Gary''s Student]

If your lookup is something like:

=VLOOKUP()

try

=--VLOOKUP()

 

[Frustrated]

I've seen the =-- in a number of places, dealing with VLOOKUP and simple
formulas. What exactly does adding the =-- in front of items do?

P.S. Wow, I learn a lot in this forum...thank to everyone who contributes!!!

 

[David Biddulph]

Double unary minus often seen with SUMPRODUCT.

Double unary minus:
a.. http://www.mcgimpsey.com/excel/formulae/doubleneg.html
b.. http://xldynamic.com/source/xld.SUMPRODUCT.html