Two numbers as text not equal...why?

Thanks Sktneer, but as I mentioned when XOR did the same thing above, I cannot convert it to a number like you did because sometimes it will have a letter in the name. I want to use text because it could be a number, it could be letters, or it could be a mix of both.

Let's say I have 1174505 and 1174505G. Can't I just convert these to text and look them up? Why can't 1174505 and 1174505G all be converted (I think called "explicit type" in programming languages) to text and then a look made on them? If this was the name Sktneer, I could look that up, why can't I fool excel into thinking 1174505 is a "string as well"?

Originally Posted by sktneer

Please find the attached sheet to see if this is what you are trying to achieve.

Originally Posted by Vaslo

Thanks Sktneer, but as I mentioned when XOR did the same thing above, I cannot convert it to a number like you did because sometimes it will have a letter in the name. I want to use text because it could be a number, it could be letters, or it could be a mix of both.

Let's say I have 1174505 and 1174505G. Can't I just convert these to text and look them up? Why can't 1174505 and 1174505G all be converted (I think called "explicit type" in programming languages) to text and then a look made on them? If this was the name Sktneer, I could look that up, why can't I fool excel into thinking 1174505 is a "string as well"?

Sktneer, I didn't see case 2 - that may work as a solution if nothing more native in the application comes along. That's a sharp idea to append with the "" to force the text. I just don't understand why copying and pasting it to a text formatted box like XOR suggested doesn't work. I'm missing something silly here, probably easy fix. Thanks.