VLOOKUP Function in Excel
Intermediate
Searches for a value in the first column of a table array and returns a value in the same row from another column.
Syntax
=VLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num, [range_lookup])Example
Use Case
Find the price of a product based on its Product ID.
Common Errors to Avoid
- #N/A error if lookup value not found in first column
- #REF! error if col_index_num exceeds table columns
- Incorrect results when forgetting to use absolute references ($) for table_array
Pro Tips
Always lock your table array references using $ signs (e.g., $A$1:$D$100) to prevent errors when copying the formula. Use FALSE for exact match unless you specifically need approximate matching.
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