VLOOKUP external file range

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Level 1

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VLOOKUP external file range

When using VLOOKUP in Excel, I could reference a range in a different Excel file. Can't seem to do that in Numbers. Is it possible?

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.4), iWork '09

Posted on Oct 26, 2010 3:31 PM

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Answer 1

Oct 26, 2010 4:00 PM in response to FoxtrotFred

Fred,

No, Numbers can't do external doc references.

Consider sending Feedback to Apple via the Numbers Menu. Let them know that this capability is important to you.

Jerry

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Answer 2

FoxtrotFred Author

Level 1

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Oct 27, 2010 6:33 AM in response to FoxtrotFred

Thanks Jerry. I was afraid this would be the answer. I believe I have a work-around for now, and I've submitted the following request to Apple at your suggestion:

I recently purchased a 27" iMac and am in the process of migrating as much of my workflow to Mac OS as possible. For the rest, I'm using VMWare Fusion with a Windows 7 VM. In my opinion this combination makes an ideal platform to do just about anything.

However, in my business of designing and manufacturing electronic products, I need to manage inventory of a large number of items used to build the circuit boards I design. I have a master parts database and many bills of material - all in Excel spreadsheets. I use the VLOOKUP function extensively to coordinate data between the BOM's and the master parts list. The requires the lookup columns range to be in an external file.

Unfortunately, I apparently cannot reference an external file from the VLOOKUP function in Numbers '09 as I can in Microsoft Excel. BUMMER!!! I would really like to migrate this process to MAC OS, but now I'm stuck.

BOTTOM LINE: In the next version of iWork, please include the ability to reference external files from within functions such as VLOOKUP.

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Answer 3

Badunit

Level 7

25,508 points

Oct 27, 2010 7:01 AM in response to FoxtrotFred

Apple has had a lot of time to work on the next version of iWork. I am waiting anxiously to see what they deliver.

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Answer 4

KOENIG Yvan

Level 8

41,807 points

Oct 27, 2010 8:16 AM in response to FoxtrotFred

FoxtrotFred wrote:
BOTTOM LINE: In the next version of iWork, please include the ability to reference external files from within functions such as VLOOKUP.

Here, you aren't "speaking" to Apple representatives but to end users like you.

If you really want to "speak" to Apple, use the dedicated channel :

_Go to "Provide Numbers Feedback" in the "Numbers" menu_, describe what you wish.
Then, cross your fingers, and wait _at least_ for iWork'11 😉

Yvan KOENIG (VALLAURIS, France) mercredi 27 octobre 2010 17:16:51

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