VLOOKUP Deep Dive

What the VLOOKUP Function Does

The VLOOKUP function searches for a value in the first column of a table and returns a corresponding value from another column in the same row.

The name VLOOKUP stands for Vertical Lookup, meaning the search is performed down a column.

Basic Syntax

=VLOOKUP(lookup_value; table_array; col_index_num; [range_lookup])

• lookup_value: the value to search for;
• table_array: the range that contains the lookup table;
• col_index_num: the column number in the table from which Excel returns the value;
• range_lookup: controls whether Excel performs an exact match or an approximate match. Use FALSE or 0 for an exact match (recommended). TRUE or 1 for an approximate match.

Example Retrieving Product Price

Assume the worksheet contains the following table.

The table is located in A3:C7. The product name to search is entered in cell E4. The goal is to return the Price.

=VLOOKUP(E4; A4:C7; 3; FALSE)

• E4: contains the product name to search;
• A4:C7: defines the lookup table;
• 3: tells Excel to return the value from the third column of the table;
• FALSE: specifies an exact match.

How It Works

When the formula runs:

1. Excel searches the first column of the table;
2. It finds the row that matches the lookup value;
3. It returns the value from the specified column.

If E3 contains Monitor, the result will be 180.

Scenario

A worksheet contains a table with: Product Code, Product Name, Category, and Price. A Product Code is entered in an input cell. Your goal is to return the Category using the VLOOKUP function.

Task Instructions

• Search for the Product Code in the first column of the table;
• Return the Category column.