Updating cell data based on dropdown list in Google Sheets

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This is probably a silly question but I have looked around for a while now and I'm not finding exactly what I need.

In sheet 2, I have a list of items down column A. Then I have text next to those items in column B. Text in B3 is only related to A3 etc.

I have a dropdown list of all column A item names on sheet1 and I'd like a cell somewhere on this sheet to display the corresponding info/text depending on whatever item I chose from the dropdown list.

For example, if I had small stories that would pop up depending on the title of the story - I'd select "Red Riding Hood" from the drop down list and then the short story would populate into a designated cell.

I feel like this should be pretty straight forward but I couldn't find the right formula. Thank you for your help.

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if this is just a google sheets question and does not involve Excel, you should not include the Excel tag. Thanks. – Tony M

1 Answers

1
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This can be done with a lookup formula, for example Vlookup. On sheet1, select the story title in A1, then use this formula in B1 to show the text

=vlookup(A1,Sheet2!$A:$B,2,false)

The story will now show in the cell with the formula. You can copy the formula down and select different titles in A2, A3, etc.