Require help in looking up values only for a list of blanks in a particular column.

[Kaushik]

For example, I have a report that has a list of values already populated in a particular column, however, that particular column has some blank cells. To fill in those we need to do a look up from another file.

How do we do this?

Also, after performing the first vlook up only on the blanks, if there are some blanks still remaining, I need to look up for these blanks again from another historical file.

Please help.

[LordNeilLord]

Hi,

Can you share some examples?

[Kaushik]

Hello Neil,

Thanks for offering to help

Attaching two excel files one which is the final report to which I need to get the details for only the blanks from the Look up file.

Please let me know if you need further clarification. So basically I should have the values on the a) final report for the names Kaushik and Kruthika, from the file b) but should not overwrite the value for Lynette to 28 as she already has a value 25 against her name in the final report. basically a look up for only the blanks.

a) Final Report

A	B
Kaushik
Lynette	25
Sowmya
Kruthika
Preetam

b)

A	B
Kaushik	45
Lynette	28
Sowmya
Kruthika	33
Preetam

[LordNeilLord · Accepted solution]

Hey no worries,

The lookup files wasn't attached so i made one up.

I would do it like this:

The main element here is to filter out records that already have a value first, then join the lookup file.

[Kaushik]

Thank you very much

[Kaushik]

Hello All,

I am facing a new challenge based on the same lines.

The issue is as below.

a) I lookup for a particular column from a report to get it on to my main report.

b) Then I find there are blanks or rows which have no value after the first look up

c) Then I follow the above mentioned steps but there is one challenge.

d) The challenge is when I look up only for the blanks as mentioned in your workflow the end result gives me lesser number of rows than what it it should be as per the main report

e) This is because when I am looking up only for the blanks again from another report and trying to join, the new report from which I looked up on the blanks doesn't have some unique identifiers in them.

f) What I need is after the second look up on the blanks I want it to return the same number of rows as in the main report irrespective of the second report used for lookup having values for the looked column or not. if it has values it should return if it does not have the unique identifier it should still retain the one from the main report.

I know its confusing but I don't know how else to explain.

Main report
Lynette	25
Kaushik	27
Kruthika
Preetam
Charan
Second report for look up
Lynette
Kaushik
Kruthika	24

So in a nutshell, I need to look up for the blanks into the main report from the second report for look up but while returning the values the end result should have the names of Preetam and Charan showing blanks with updated number for Kruthika. but the current workflow suggested omits the names not present in the second report and is not shown in the main report.

hope this is clear please help!