Vlookup in excel

VLOOKUP in Excel: Excel is one of the most widely used applications for data analysis and management. It is a powerful tool that allows users to organize, calculate, and manipulate data in various ways. One of the most popular functions in Excel is VLOOKUP, which stands for Vertical Lookup. VLOOKUP is a powerful function that helps users to find specific data in a table and return corresponding values. In this article, we will discuss VLOOKUP in detail, including how to use it, and provide two examples.

What is VLOOKUP in Excel?

VLOOKUP is a function in Excel that allows users to search for a specific value in a table or range of cells, and then return a corresponding value from another column in the same row. The VLOOKUP function requires four arguments or parameters to work: the lookup value, the table array, the column index number, and the range lookup value.

Vlookup in excel

How to Use VLOOKUP in Excel?

  1. Start by selecting the cell where you want to display the result of the VLOOKUP function.
  2. Type in the formula “=VLOOKUP(lookup value, table array, column index number, range lookup value)” in the cell.
  3. Replace the lookup value with the cell reference or the value that you want to look up.
  4. Replace the table array with the range of cells that contains the data you want to look up.
  5. Replace the column index number with the number of the column in the table array that contains the value you want to return.
  6. Finally, replace the range lookup value with either TRUE or FALSE, depending on whether you want an exact match or not.

Example 1: Using VLOOKUP to Find an Exact Match

Suppose you have a table that contains the names and scores of students, and you want to find the score of a specific student. The table looks like this:

NameScore
Alice95
Bob87
Charlie91
David78
Elizabeth85

To find the score of Charlie, follow these steps:

  1. Select the cell where you want to display the result.
  2. Type in the formula “=VLOOKUP(“Charlie”, A2:B6, 2, FALSE)” in the cell.
  3. Press Enter, and you will get the result 91.

Explanation: In this example, the lookup value is “Charlie,” the table array is A2:B6, the column index number is 2, and the range lookup value is FALSE. Since we want to find an exact match, we set the range lookup value to FALSE.

Example 2: Using VLOOKUP to Find an Approximate Match

Suppose you have a table that contains the grades of students, and you want to find the grade of a specific student based on their score. The table looks like this:

GradeMinimum ScoreMaximum Score
A90100
B8089
C7079
D6069
F059

To find the grade of a student with a score of 86, follow these steps:

  1. Select the cell where you want to display the result.
  2. Type in the formula “=VLOOKUP(86, C2:E6, 1, TRUE)” in the cell.
  3. Press Enter, and you will get the result “B.”

Explanation

In this example, the lookup value is 86, the table array is C2:E6, the column index number is 1, and the range lookup value is TRUE. Since we want to find an approximate match, we set the range lookup value to TRUE. Excel will look for the value 86 in the first column of the table array and return the grade corresponding to the range that contains 86, which is B.

Tips and Tricks for Using VLOOKUP in Excel

  1. Always use absolute cell references for the table array to prevent errors when copying the formula to other cells.
  2. Make sure the lookup value and the column you want to return are in the same data type (e.g., both are numbers or both are text).
  3. If the lookup value is not found in the table array, VLOOKUP will return #N/A. You can use the IFERROR function to display a custom message instead.
  4. Consider using INDEX and MATCH functions instead of VLOOKUP if you need to return a value from a column to the left of the lookup column.

How to use Vlookup in VBA code

VLOOKUP is a very useful function in Excel, and it can also be used in VBA code. Here’s how to use VLOOKUP in VBA code:

  1. First, you need to enable the Developer tab in Excel. Go to File > Options > Customize Ribbon, then check the box next to Developer in the right-hand column.
  2. In the Developer tab, click on Visual Basic to open the VBA editor.
  3. In the editor, insert a new module by going to Insert > Module.
  4. In the new module, you can write a VBA function that calls the VLOOKUP function. Here’s an example:
Function MyVLookup(lookup_value As Variant, table_array As Range, col_index_num As Long, range_lookup As Boolean) As Variant

MyVLookup = Application.WorksheetFunction.VLookup(lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num, range_lookup)

End Function
  1. In this example, the VBA function is called “MyVLookup”. It takes four arguments: lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num, and range_lookup. The function returns a variant, which can be a number, text, or any other type of data.
  2. Inside the function, the VLOOKUP function is called using the Application.WorksheetFunction.VLookup method. This method takes the same four arguments as the VLOOKUP function in Excel.
  3. Once you have written the function, you can use it in any Excel worksheet by typing “=MyVLookup(lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num, range_lookup)” in a cell.
  4. You can also call the function from other VBA code by using its name and passing the appropriate arguments.

That’s how you can use VLOOKUP in VBA code. This is just one example, and there are many other ways to use VLOOKUP in VBA depending on your specific needs.

Conclusion

In conclusion, VLOOKUP is a powerful function in Excel that can help users search for specific data in a table and return corresponding values. By following the steps outlined in this article and applying the tips and tricks provided, you can become proficient in using VLOOKUP to make data analysis and management tasks more efficient and effective.

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