Tricky MS Excel function

[Stocker]

I am trying to do something for work that is beyond me (for now)
I have a drop-down list for each digit in a model number that will pull out the position-specific subassembly part number and description in another area on the page. You select A from the first position and it pops out a PN and description for a flange, etc. for six positions in a model number.

The last two positions are together and have anywhere from 4 to 6 parts bound up in them. How can I have a single drop-down item call out a range of fields or a list of several different lines on a list of parts?

This is stumping me.

Any ideas?

 

[Stocker]

I Got It!

Thank God! Thank my coworkers too.

= IF(C9=G33,Parts3!B24,(IF(C9=G34,Parts3!B29,(IF(C9=G35,Parts3!B34,(IF(C9=G36,Parts3!B39,"INVALID")))))))

Say that 5 times, fast.

 

[kelticwizard]

Stocker:

I am completely self taught on the computer.

I have found invaluable assistance for using Excel, (albeit I use it for simpler problems than your own), at www.aumha.net.

It is a computer help forum, and the helpful atmosphere is very similar to diyAudio.

If you have a future problem, I suggest you give them a try. They are very good and courteous.

 

[Stocker]

I'm headed there right now, and thanks for the tip!

I realized today that the above is not good enough For easy expansion in the future; I resorted to further sorting and simple VLOOKUPS for the fields involved.

The current problem: I need to return a value based on two other cells. It has to be expandable as simply as a VLOOKUP. I know this can be done but I am having trouble

 

[kelticwizard]

Well, if Aumha does not work, (your problem is extremely involved}, there are always Google groups.

Just go to Google.com, click on groups, then put Excel in the Search box. I tried it, and I got several places to go where they seem to be into Excel programming specifically. Here is one-there were several others.

Be sure to tell them which version of Excel you have-these guys look pretty advanced and likely to assume you have the latest if you don't tell them.

Let us know how you make out on this.

 

[Stocker]

My boss must have been disappointed I didn't come up with it sooner. One of the brothers from church got as far as "you could CONCATENATE..." and I was done with the project. Concatenate the results, VLOOKUP compare it to the lists, bang. Thanks.