What formula to use?

[iRay]

I like some advise about what formula to use. I have read the info on; Lookup, Vlookup and Match/Index but I don’t get it.

I need to give in data in columns. right from that I need to show the category name.

the categories are listed in another sheet from 1 to 12

For not typing out the name every time I like to use a number.
So I type my date, discription, amount, and then the code
So 1 for Category AAA, 2 must show Category BBB etc
So every row shows category name in 5th column

Hope you understand what I try to explain. Thanks for any advise. Ray

[joshua4]

If the answers given aren’t exactly what is needed, then please upload a small example with pretend data and a hand-entered example of what is needed in the end. Use the up arrow icon button to upload an ODS.

[eeigor]

You have to store both the code and the formula for extracting the category. Place the VLOOKUP formula in 5th column.
$Sheet1.E2: =VLOOKUP(D2;Categories;2;0)

@iRay

the categories are listed in another sheet from 1 to 12

Important: Assign a name to the range of categories, otherwise it will not work, because the data are on a different sheet. Edit: see below: not necessary, but recommended.
Categories: =$Sheet2.$A$2:$B$13
1st row contains category headers (column titles): Code, Name.
Search by code, and retrieve the name from the second column (2), the VLOOKUP parameter 0 means an exact code match.

[LeroyG]

@eeigor

Assign a name to the range of categories

Could, and it is easier to understand, but no needed. You can just use =VLOOKUP(D2;$Sheet2.$A$2:$B$13;2;0)

[eeigor]

@LeroyG

Could, and it is easier to understand, but no needed.

Yes, indeed. And that’s a good approach. I can’t figure out where I got this limitation from. Thanks.

[iRay]

Thanks @eeigor and @LeroyG for the code line .

Will adjust cell references and go to work with it.
Hope it turns out.
If not I’ll be back with more questions

Cheers