Vertical Lookup in excel: VLOOKUP, What’s VLOOOKUP in Excel

Happy Friday everyone!!!

Well it has been about 2 weeks that I start doing blog, thanks for the viewers! AdSense has not approved my blog yet, which make me want to quite! so I thought I could write something fun. As my blog is about Excel (yea I know I am also posting some trends or fun facts too.. you need to make people to get attention!! ) haha well, Let’s learn about VLOOKUP!

---

People who know about Excel are saying VLOOKUP LOOKUP LOOKUP!!! every time. ugh what’s VLOOKUP!

well now I know why this is important and most used formula but if you are a beginner, how you do know right?! so here I am!

1. What’s VLOOKUP?

Imagine you’re at a massive party with lots of friends, acquaintances, and even some strangers. You see someone you recognize from a distance, but you can’t remember their name. You need a little help to figure it out. Enter your friendly party assistant, VLOOKUP! Think of VLOOKUP like the party host who knows everyone and can help you make the connections you need.

• You (Lookup Value): You spot a face and need to know the name. That face is your lookup value.
• Party Host’s Guest List (Table Array): The host has a neatly organized list of all the guests, their favorite drinks, and where they’re seated. That’s your table array.

Let’s build a fun party guest list to match. You spot the “Laughing Lady” from across the room but can’t remember her name or her favorite drink. You ask VLOOKUP to help you out.

• The Name or Drink You Want to Know (Column Index Number): You ask the host for their name (let’s say it’s in column 2) or perhaps their favorite drink (maybe in column 3).

To find her name, you’d use the formula: =VLOOKUP(“Laughing Lady” or you can also time “A3”,A2:C5,2,0)

Let’s dig in to it one by one.

1) Lookup Value

This is what you’re searching for. In our party scenario, the “Lookup Value” was the “Laughing Lady,” the person you recognized but couldn’t quite place.

so, =VLOOKUP(“laughing Lady”,

2) Table Array

This is the range where the data is stored. In our example, it’s the list of guests in the party (A2:C5).

or, you can also drag the entire column, A:B because you know that you want to know the name, which is in the B column.

3) Column Index Number

This number tells Excel which column of the Table Array has the information you’re seeking. If you want the name, you use 2, because the names are in the second column. If you want the favorite drink, you use 3, as that information is in the third column.

or

4) Range Lookup

Exact or Close Enough? (Range Lookup): You can tell the host you want an exact match (FALSE) or if you’re okay with something close enough (TRUE).
This can be either TRUE or FALSE. TURE =1, FALSE =0

• TRUE finds an approximate match if an exact match isn’t found. This could lead to unexpected results if the data isn’t sorted.
• FALSE finds an exact match, and if there’s no exact match, it returns an error.

2. VLOOKUP in Action

Let’s say you want to find Sarah’s favorite drink.

• Lookup Value: “Laughing Lady”
• Table Array: A2:C5
• Column Index Number: 3 (for the favorite drink)
• Range Lookup: FALSE (for an exact match)

3. Step by Step Breakdown

1. VLOOKUP starts at the Lookup Value: It looks for “Laughing Lady” in the first column of the Table Array (A2:A5).
2. Finds the Match: It finds “Laughing Lady” in row 2.
3. Moves to the Specified Column: It moves to the third column, as you specified 3 as the Column Index Number.
4. Retrieves the Value: It retrieves the value in that cell, which is “Wine.”
5. Returns the Result: The function returns “Wine.”

CHECK OUT FOR HLOOKUP TOO! 

---

Okay, I think I explained enough on this!

VLOOKUP is an essential function in Excel that acts like a resourceful connector, linking your queries with the information contained within a table. Whether you’re navigating a social gathering in our fun analogy or dealing with large datasets in a professional setting, VLOOKUP simplifies the process of finding specific data.

Its application extends across various fields, making tasks in finance, marketing, human resources, and other domains more efficient and streamlined. By understanding the lookup value, table array, column index number, and range lookup, you can harness the power of VLOOKUP to make data management more accessible and actionable.

In essence, VLOOKUP is a valuable tool, a friendly guide through the labyrinth of data, always ready to help you find exactly what you’re looking for.