Microsoft Excel VLOOKUP Formulas: A Guide with Examples

Microsoft Excel's VLOOKUP function is a powerful tool for searching and retrieving data from a table. VLOOKUP allows you to search for a specific value in the leftmost column of a table and retrieve a corresponding value from a different column. In this guide, we will explore the syntax of the VLOOKUP function and provide examples to demonstrate its application.

VLOOKUP Syntax

The syntax for the VLOOKUP function is as follows:

    =VLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_range, col_index, [range_lookup])
  

• lookup_value: The value you want to search for.
• table_range: The range of cells that contains the lookup table. This range must include the column you want to search and the column from which you want to retrieve the value.
• col_index: The column number (relative to the table_range) from which you want to retrieve the value. The leftmost column is column 1.
• range_lookup: An optional argument that specifies whether the lookup should be approximate or exact. Enter FALSE for an exact match or TRUE (or omit) for an approximate match.

VLOOKUP Examples

Let's look at a few examples to understand how the VLOOKUP function works:

• To retrieve the price of a product based on its ID from a table in columns A and B, you can use the following formula:
  =VLOOKUP(A2, A1:B5, 2, FALSE)
  This formula searches for the value in cell A2 in column A of the range A1 to B5, and returns the corresponding value from column B (the second column in the range).
• If you have a table with employee IDs and their corresponding names, and you want to retrieve the name of an employee based on their ID, you can use the following formula:
  =VLOOKUP(C2, A1:B5, 2, FALSE)
  This formula searches for the value in cell C2 in column A of the range A1 to B5, and returns the corresponding value from column B.
• In case the values in the leftmost column of the table are not sorted in ascending order, you can use the approximate match option by omitting the range_lookup argument or setting it to TRUE. For example:
  =VLOOKUP(E2, A1:B5, 2)
  This formula searches for the value in cell E2 in column A of the range A1 to B5, and returns the closest match from column B.

Conclusion

The VLOOKUP function in Microsoft Excel is a valuable tool for searching and retrieving data from a table. By understanding its syntax and using appropriate examples, you can leverage the power of VLOOKUP to quickly and efficiently extract relevant information from your data. Experiment with different scenarios and datasets to master the application of VLOOKUP in your Excel workflows.