How Vlookup Works?

In its simplest form, the VLOOKUP function says: =VLOOKUP(What you want to look up, where you want to look for it, the column number in the range containing the value to return, return an Approximate or Exact match – indicated as 1/TRUE, or 0/FALSE).

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How use VLOOKUP step by step?

How to use VLOOKUP in Excel

  1. Step 1: Organize the data.
  2. Step 2: Tell the function what to lookup.
  3. Step 3: Tell the function where to look.
  4. Step 4: Tell Excel what column to output the data from.
  5. Step 5: Exact or approximate match.

What is a VLOOKUP and how does it work?

VLOOKUP is a function to lookup up and retrieve data in a table. The “V” in VLOOKUP stands for vertical, which means the data in the table must be arranged vertically, with data in rows.The range of cells that make up the table (table_array) The number of the column from which to retrieve a result (column_index)

Why you should never use VLOOKUP?

It can not lookup and return a value which is to the left of the lookup value. It works only with data which is arranged vertically. VLOOKUP would give a wrong result if you add/delete a new column in your data (as the column number value now refers to the wrong column).

Is Vlookup hard to learn?

While Vlookup is only one function in the world of spreadsheet management, its perhaps the most valuable and impactful one you can learn. By the way, you can also use its sister function, Hlookup, to search for values in Horizontal rows instead of Vertical columns. Take 5 minutes and learn Vlookup.

How do you write a Vlookup formula?

  1. In the Formula Bar, type =VLOOKUP().
  2. In the parentheses, enter your lookup value, followed by a comma.
  3. Enter your table array or lookup table, the range of data you want to search, and a comma: (H2,B3:F25,
  4. Enter column index number.
  5. Enter the range lookup value, either TRUE or FALSE.

Can VLOOKUP return text?

Yes. VLOOKUP can search for textual values just as well as it can search for numbers. The example above would search for the product names, which are text rather than numbers.

What is better than VLOOKUP?

The superior alternative to VLOOKUP is INDEX MATCH. While VLOOKUP works fine in most cases, it tends to reveal flaws when you start using it in large and complex sheets. The INDEX MATCH formula is actually two different functions; INDEX and MATCH. array is range of cells or an array constant.

What is the alternative of VLOOKUP?

INDEX-MATCH
1) INDEX-MATCH: If you don’t have an Office 365 subscription, INDEX-MATCH is your best alternative to VLOOKUP. INDEX formula provides you with the exact location of a cell in a range. By nesting the MATCH formula in INDEX, you can replace VLOOKUP in a much more robust way.

What can I use instead of VLOOKUP?

INDEX and MATCH works very well if your lookup data is not in the first column, or you want to look to the left of the lookup data, rather than to the right, which is all VLOOKUP can do.

How do I compare data in two columns in Excel?

Compare Two Columns and Highlight Matches

  1. Select the entire data set.
  2. Click the Home tab.
  3. In the Styles group, click on the ‘Conditional Formatting’ option.
  4. Hover the cursor on the Highlight Cell Rules option.
  5. Click on Duplicate Values.
  6. In the Duplicate Values dialog box, make sure ‘Duplicate’ is selected.

How do I compare two lists in Excel?

A Ridiculously easy and fun way to compare 2 lists

  1. Select cells in both lists (select first list, then hold CTRL key and then select the second)
  2. Go to Conditional Formatting > Highlight Cells Rules > Duplicate Values.
  3. Press ok.
  4. There is nothing do here. Go out and play!

How do I do a VLOOKUP with two criteria?

VLOOKUP with Multiple Criteria – Using a Helper Column

  1. Insert a Helper Column between column B and C.
  2. Use the following formula in the helper column:=A2&”|”&B2.
  3. Use the following formula in G3 =VLOOKUP($F3&”|”&G$2,$C$2:$D$19,2,0)
  4. Copy for all the cells.

Does VLOOKUP have a character limit?

In Excel, it’s not possible to use VLOOKUP if the value you are searching for in a range is longer than 255 characters.

What happens when VLOOKUP doesn’t find value?

When the range_lookup argument is FALSE—and VLOOKUP is unable to find an exact match in your data—it returns the #N/A error.Also, ensure that the cells follow the correct data type. For example, cells with numbers should be formatted as Number, and not Text.

Does VLOOKUP work with general format?

Numbers are formatted as text
Another source N/A errors in VLOOKUP formulas is numbers being formatted as text, either in the main or lookup table.The numbers can also be stored in the General format.

Can you use VLOOKUP for 2 columns?

VLOOKUP doesn’t handle multiple columns.You can find matches for Movie and Showtime columns individually but to find a match based on both the columns, you would need to modify the VLOOKUP formula.

Why does VLOOKUP not work with text?

Numeric values are formatted as Text.
If numeric values are formatted as text in a table_array argument of VLOOKUP function, then it comes up with the #NA error. To fix this error, you must check and properly format the numeric values as “Number.”

Do Vlookups slow down Excel?

Exact-match VLOOKUP is slow
When you use VLOOKUP in “exact match mode” on a large set of data, it can really slow down the calculation time in a worksheet.

Is Xlookup faster than VLOOKUP?

Compared to a normal VLOOKUP, the binary XLOOKUP is significantly faster. But a VLOOKUP with a approximate match is still a little bit faster. The binary XLOOKUP is slightly slower than an approximate VLOOKUP (~16% slower).

What is the difference between VLOOKUP and match?

The main difference between VLOOKUP and INDEX MATCH is in column reference. VLOOKUP requires a static column reference whereas INDEX MATCH requires a dynamic column reference.INDEX MATCH allows you to click to choose which column you want to pull the value from. This leads to fewer errors.