Question

Using the following formula

=INDEX($A$2:$B$6,MATCH($D2,$B$2:$B$6,0),1)

To create colD with matching item_ids from the model_num in colC. The problem is when it doesn’t find a matching model_num in colC then it puts #N/A in colD.

item_id (colA)   model_num (colB)   data (colC)         new_data (colD)
--------         ----------         -------             ----------
870834           FD021              FD1424B             10752514
16595156         S3TA03B            Not Required        #N/A
10752514         FD1424B            S3TA03B             16595156
10756167         SU03B              Included with Kit   #N/A
14667130         KDAD               SU03B               10756167

If it doesn’t find a match it should just copy what is already in colC to colD.

item_id (colA)   model_num (colB)   data (colC)         new_data (colD)
--------         ----------         -------             ----------
870834           FD021              FD1424B             10752514
16595156         S3TA03B            Not Required        Not Required
10752514         FD1424B            S3TA03B             16595156
10756167         SU03B              Included with Kit   Included with Kit
14667130         KDAD               SU03B               10756167

The Question
When the formula doesn’t find a match in colC how can I tell it to just copy the contents of colC to colD?

Answer 1

Your formula doesn’t work, I assume you need a MATCH function in there….also I assume the lookup value should be C2 as the formula goes in D2 – like this

=INDEX($A$2:$B$6,MATCH($C2,$B$2:$B$6,0),1)

Which version of Excel are you using? In Excel 2007 or later you can use IFERROR to get what you want, i.e. this version in D2 copied down

=IFERROR(INDEX($A$2:$B$6,MATCH($C2,$B$2:$B$6,0),1),$C2)

…or in any version

=IF(ISNA(MATCH($C2,$B$2:$B$6,0)),$C2,INDEX($A$2:$B$6,MATCH($C2,$B$2:$B$6,0),1))