excel conversion/reference table

you're on the right track, but remember match returns the row from the range specified. so if you use match "microsoft "in range f:f it will return 5
if you use it in range f3:f5 it will return 3 you can adjust for this, if using a whole range by subtracting rows above your start point
using on your sheet -2
=MATCH(A1,F:F,0)-2 thus making it give the result from f3:fXXXXX i.e 3(match can only look at one column or row)
the index function has to be in format
array,row number,column number
the array can be anything contiguous in your case e3:f5 the column numbers will then be 1,2 or 3
you can put the match formula in
like this
array/match formula/column
so to get result from "microsoft" say in a1
use in cell b1

=INDEX(E3:F5,MATCH(A1,F:F,0)-2,1) to return MSFT
AND in c1
=INDEX(H3:I5,MATCH(A1,I:I,0)-2,1)
to return
555333
a better explanation is given here
http://www.mrexcel.com/tip021.shtml