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How to vlookup numbers stored as text in Excel?

Supposing, I have the following data range, the ID number in the original table is number format, in the lookup cell which is stored as text, when I apply the normal VLOOKUP function, I will get an error result as below screenshot shown. In this case, how could I get the correct information if the lookup number and original number in table have the different data format?

Vlookup numbers stored as text with formulas

doc vlookup number stored as text 1

arrow blue right bubble Vlookup numbers stored as text with formulas

If your lookup number is stored as text, and the original number in the table is real number format, please apply the following formula to return the correct result:

Enter this formula: =VLOOKUP(VALUE(G1),A2:D15,2,FALSE) into a blank cell where you want to locate the result, and press Enter key to return the corresponding information you need, see screenshot:

doc vlookup number stored as text 2

Notes:

1. In the above formula: G1 is the criteria that you want to lookup, A2:D15 is the table range which contains the data that you want to use, and the number 2 indicates the column number which has the corresponding value you want to return.

2. If your lookup value is number format, and the ID number in the original table is stored as text, the above formula will not work, you should apply this formula: =VLOOKUP(TEXT(G1,0),A2:D15,2,FALSE) to get the correct result as you need.

doc vlookup number stored as text 3

3. If you are not sure when you'll have numbers and when you'll have text, you can use this formula: =IFERROR(VLOOKUP(VALUE(G1),A2:D15,2,0),VLOOKUP(TEXT(G1,0),A2:D15,2,0)) to handle both cases.

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JZ
JZ
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Worked. Thank you! 
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MandyZhou
MandyZhou     JZ
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Hello,
You are welcome. Glad it helps. Any questions, please feel free to contact us. Have a great day.
Sincerely,
Mandy
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jessicam
jessicam
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Thanks so much!!!!! This worked for me, the #3 solution! HUGE help!!!
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MandyZhou
MandyZhou     jessicam
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Hello,
You are welcome. Glad it helps. Any questions, please feel free to contact us. Have a great day.
Sincerely,
Mandy
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Pratheesh
Pratheesh
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Thank You... :) Its worked for me
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MandyZhou
MandyZhou     Pratheesh
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Hello,
You are welcome. Glad it helps. Any questions, please feel free to contact us. Have a great day.
Sincerely,
Mandy
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Jaji813
Jaji813
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Same thing here. The problem is the data range. For some reason, even when the data type is text, MS Excel still looks at it as a number. But if you hit enter, it looks at it as text. So I usually end up with the data range where some of it is numbers and others, text.

SOLUTION: Use IFERROR function to address BOTH possibilities: IFERROR(VLOOKUP(TEXT(A1,0),$A$1:$A$100,1,FALSE),VLOOKUP(VALUE(A1),$A$1:$A$100,1,FALSE)). Hope this helps.
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Rens
Rens
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Unfortunately this method does not Always work. I import numbers in a column defined as tekst. I lookup these numbers in a table in which the numbers are also stored as tekst. I would say a Vlookup should work, but nor the standard lookup, nor the lookup with TEXT() or VALUE() function as expected. When I retype all values in the columns it works as expected, so there's no error in the formula.
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Guuz
Guuz     Rens
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I have the same problem @Rens, does anybody know a solution for this?
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Jaji813
Jaji813     Rens
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Same thing here. The problem is the data range. For some reason, even when the data type is text, MS Excel still looks at it as a number. But if you hit enter, it looks at it as text. So I usually end up with the data range where some of it is numbers and others, text.

SOLUTION: Use IFERROR function to address BOTH possibilities: IFERROR(VLOOKUP(TEXT(A1,0),$A$1:$A$100,1,FALSE),VLOOKUP(VALUE(A1),$A$1:$A$100,1,FALSE)). Hope this helps.
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Salim Dz
Salim Dz     Jaji813
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This is what I do and is perfect.
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Jaji813
Jaji813     Rens
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Same thing here. The problem is the data range. For some reason, even when data type is text, it looks like it's still looked on as a number. But if you hit enter, it looks at it as text. So I usually would end up with the data range where some of it is numbers and others text.

SOLUTION: Use IFERROR function to address BOTH possibilities: IFERROR(VLOOKUP(TEXT(A1,0),$A$1:$A$100,1,FALSE),VLOOKUP(VALUE(A1),$A$1:$A$100,1,FALSE)). Hope this helps.
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Rens
Rens     Jaji813
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Hello Jaji, thanks, this works, I hope in all cases. Nevertheless it looks like a bug to me.
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