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How to copy source formatting of the lookup cell when using Vlookup in Excel?

In the previous articles, we have talked about keeping background color when vlookup values in Excel. Here in this article, we are going to introduce a method of copying all cell formatting of the resulting cell when doing Vlookup in Excel. Please do as follows.

Copy source formatting when using Vlookup in Excel with a User-defined function

Copy source formatting when using Vlookup in Excel with a User-defined function

Supposing you have a table as below screenshot shown. Now you need to check if a specified value (in column E) is in column A and return corresponding value with formatting in column C. Please do as follows to achieve it.

1. In the worksheet contains the value you want to vlookup, right-click the sheet tab and select View Code from the context menu. See screenshot:

2. In the opening Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications window, please copy below VBA code into the Code window.

VBA code 1: Vlookup and return value with formatting

Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
'Update by Extendoffice 20211203
    Dim I As Long
    Dim xKeys As Long
    Dim xDicStr As String
    On Error Resume Next
    Application.ScreenUpdating = False
    Application.CutCopyMode = False
    xKeys = UBound(xDic.Keys)
    If xKeys >= 0 Then
        For I = 0 To UBound(xDic.Keys)
            xDicStr = xDic.Items(I)
            If xDicStr <> "" Then
                Set xRg = Application.Range(xDicStr)
                xRg.Copy
                Range(xDic.Keys(I)).PasteSpecial xlPasteFormats
            Else
                Range(xDic.Keys(I)).Interior.Color = xlNone
            End If
        Next
        Set xDic = Nothing
    End If
    Application.ScreenUpdating = True
    Application.CutCopyMode = True
End Sub

3. Then click Insert > Module, and copy the below VBA code 2 into the Module window.

VBA code 2: Vlookup and return value with formatting

Public xDic As New Dictionary
'Update by Extendoffice 20211203
Function LookupKeepFormat(ByRef FndValue, ByRef LookupRng As Range, ByRef xCol As Long)
    Dim xFindCell As Range
    On Error Resume Next
    Application.ScreenUpdating = False
    Set xFindCell = LookupRng.Find(FndValue, , xlValues, xlWhole)
    If xFindCell Is Nothing Then
        LookupKeepFormat = " "
        xDic.Add Application.Caller.Address, " "
    Else
        LookupKeepFormat = xFindCell.Offset(0, xCol - 1).Value
        xDic.Add Application.Caller.Address, xFindCell.Offset(0, xCol - 1).Address(External:=True)
    End If
    Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Function

4. Click Tools > References. Then check the Microsoft Script Runtime box in the References – VBAProject dialog box. See screenshot:

5. Press the Alt + Q keys to exit the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications window.

6. Select a blank cell adjacent to the lookup value, and then enter formula =LookupKeepFormat(E2,$A$1:$C$8,3) into the Formula Bar, and then press the Enter key.

Note: In the formula, E2 contains the value you will lookup, $A$1:$C$8 is the table range, and number 3 means that the corresponding value you will return locates in the third column of the table. Please change them as you need.

7. Keep selecting the first result cell, and then drag the Fill Handle down to get all results along with their formatting as below screenshot showed.

Related articles:

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Comments (44)
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Dorina
Dorina
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It seems to work but excel freezes from it and goes unresponsive. HELP!!!!
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Kaila
Kaila
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So - this macro works, but every time I use it my spreadsheet stops responding for roughly 3 minutes (even for one single line of data). Any tips?
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slb
slb
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Is there a way to use this on the same sheet with two different lookups. Ie. Lookup Column M in array A:B, return column B with formatting. Then Lookup in Column N in array C:D and return column D with formatting?
Ive got the first set working perfectly, and the second set wont work at all. No error, just most of the rows are blank
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kirtiraj
kirtiraj
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This code only works when data is in same sheet.
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crystal
crystal     kirtiraj
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Hi kirtiraj,To lookup values across worksheets and keep the formatting, you need to place the VBA code 1 in the code window of the result worksheet, and place the VBA code 2 in the Module code window.
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John
John
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I get a compile error: "Expected: end of statement", with the word "New" highlighted in: "Public xDic As New Dictionary".
I'm not a developer, just trying to solve a problem in a long set of sheets. So thank you for the help.
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M B
M B
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HeyThe code does not work in Microsoft Excel 2019 (16.0.13929.20360) 64-bit Can provide details if asked...
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ed
ed     M B
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Please provide details
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ABCD
ABCD
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How to make this work if the value we are trying to look up sits in a different worksheet?
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crystal
crystal     ABCD
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Hi,
To lookup values across worksheets and keep the formatting, you need to place the VBA code 1 in the code window of the result worksheet, and place the VBA code 2 in the Module code window.
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FrenchToastKB
FrenchToastKB     crystal
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That's Bad***!
Thanks for the coding and the tip on how to make the formula work across separate worksheets, friend.
However the coding should modified for the Subworksheet_Change for the one below:
Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
'Update by Extendoffice 20230328
Dim I As Long
Dim xKeys As Long
Dim xDicStr As String
On Error Resume Next
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
Application.CutCopyMode = False
Application.EnableEvents = False
xKeys = UBound(xDic.Keys)
If xKeys >= 0 Then
For I = 0 To UBound(xDic.Keys)
xDicStr = xDic.Items(I)
If xDicStr <> "" Then
Set xRg = Application.Range(xDicStr)
xRg.Copy
Range(xDic.Keys(I)).PasteSpecial xlPasteFormats
Else
Range(xDic.Keys(I)).Interior.Color = xlNone
End If
Next
Set xDic = Nothing
End If
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
Application.CutCopyMode = True
Application.EnableEvents = True
End Sub


If you combine the coding I wrote below for the Result worksheet and the coding provided here in the Module, it will work when using separate worksheets.
You'll thank me later!
Cheers
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Jeff
Jeff
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So, I got this to work. However, how I'm using it is I have the lookupkeepformat formula already entered in multiple rows. I then enter a letter (A-J) in column A and this letter tells the lookup formula which data I want. After it pulls the data, the cursor ends up in the cell where it finished entering the lookup data. How can I have the cursor return to column A?
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Jeff
Jeff
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I'm getting an error
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Rah2153
Rah2153
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I am adding these modules to my PERSONAL.XLSB file. I have Outlook 2016. And when I use this user-defined function, my excel doesn't crash or give an error. But it does not pull in the format of the source cell. It only pulls in the value. Since this function is located in the PERSONAL.XLSB file, my formula looks like this;=PERSONAL.xlsb!LookupKeepFormat(E2,$A$1:$C$8,3)
I had copied the code into 2 modules as directed, but this just doesn't work. Any ideas why?
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