Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: Making VLOOKUP Trigger a Macro.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated October 20, 2018)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
Mike uses VLOOKUP regularly in his worksheets, but wonders if there is a way to make the function run a macro if it fails to return a value.
There are a couple of ways you could approach this problem. First, you could use a conditional formula to determine whether VLOOKUP will return a value or an error. If it will return an error, then you can have the formula run a user-defined function (MyUDF), as shown here:
=IF(ISERROR(VLOOKUP(B2,CODES,1,FALSE)),MyUDF(), VLOOKUP(B2,CODES,1,FALSE))
All you need to do is make sure that you put your actual VLOOKUP code in the formula (twice) and replace MyUDF with the name of the user-defined function you want to trigger.
Another approach is to set up an event handler for the Calculate event. This can be rather simple, as in the following:
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here:
Private Sub Worksheet_Calculate()
If IsError(Range("A1")) Then Call Macro1
End Sub
This example assumes that the VLOOKUP formula is in cell A1 and that you want to run a macro called Macro1 if the VLOOKUP returns an error. Your macro could then do whatever you need it to do. Remember, as well, that the Calculate event handler should be placed in the ThisWorksheet object.
You could also make the Calculate event handler a bit more robust, as shown here:
Private Sub Worksheet_Calculate()
On Error GoTo myMac
Worksheets(1).Select
If Range("A1").Value Then
Exit Sub
End If
myMac:
Macro1 'macro to run if VLOOKUP fails
End Sub
Note:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (3891) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Excel (Excel 2007 and later) here: Making VLOOKUP Trigger a Macro.
Best-Selling VBA Tutorial for Beginners Take your Excel knowledge to the next level. With a little background in VBA programming, you can go well beyond basic spreadsheets and functions. Use macros to reduce errors, save time, and integrate with other Microsoft applications. Fully updated for the latest version of Office 365. Check out Microsoft 365 Excel VBA Programming For Dummies today!
The data validation capabilities of Excel are really handy when you want to limit what is put into a cell. However, you ...
Discover MoreIt is not unusual to use worksheets to collect information over time. As you keep adding information to the worksheet, ...
Discover MoreOne of the most useful function in Excel is VLOOKUP. One thing it won't do, however, is allow you to lookup information ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
Got a version of Excel that uses the menu interface (Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, or Excel 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments