Reference > Functions reference > Logical functions > Lookup
 

Lookup

Returns the value specified in sourceField, using the relationships in the relationships graph.

Format 

Lookup ( sourceField {; failExpression } )

Parameters 

sourceField - the field from which the lookup value is taken.

failExpression - any expression.

Parameters in braces { } are optional.

Data type returned 

text, number, date, time, timestamp, container

Originated in 

FileMaker Pro 7.0

Description 

The result of the optional failExpression is returned if the lookup fails.

For this function to access the contents of the source field, the tables containing the source field and calculation field need to be related. Calculations using the Lookup function won't be forced to be unstored calculations.

Example 1 

There are two tables, People and Company, in a database file containing the data shown below.

People table

 

CompanyID

Employee

100

John Smith

200

Peter Wong

300

Sally Anderson

Company table

 

CompanyID

CompanyName

Code

100

Apple

91234

100

Apple

82345

200

FileMaker

95054

The People and Company tables are related using the number field CompanyID. The calculation CompanyName = Lookup ( Company::CompanyName ; "Not found" ) defined in the People table will return Apple for the first record, FileMaker for the second record, and Not found for the third record.

Related topics 

Functions reference (category list)

Functions reference (alphabetical list)

About formulas

About functions

Defining calculation fields

Using operators in formulas