How to Lookup in Excel?
If you are using Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets for your data analysis or just to keep track of your finances, you need to know how to lookup values in Excel. Knowing the right Excel functions and formulas can be a huge time-saver and help you make better decisions with your data. In this article, we will show you how to lookup values in Excel and provide you with examples of common use cases.
Looking up data in Excel is easy and straightforward. To start, open a spreadsheet in Excel and select the cell you want to lookup. Then, use either the VLOOKUP or HLOOKUP function to find the data you need.
- To use
VLOOKUP, enter the formula=VLOOKUP(lookup_value,table_array,col_index_num,.) - To use
HLOOKUP, enter the formula=HLOOKUP(lookup_value,table_array,row_index_num,.) - In both cases, the lookup_value is the value you want to search for, table_array is the range of cells that contains the data you want to search, col_index_num or row_index_num is the column or row number of the value you want to return, and range_lookup is optional and indicates whether an exact or approximate match is required.
If your keyword includes the “vs” word, you can use the comparison table format to compare two different values against each other. To do this, create two columns with the two different values, then create a third column with the comparison values.
What is Excel Lookup Function?
The Excel Lookup function is a powerful tool for finding information stored in large spreadsheets. This function allows you to quickly search for specific values in a range of cells and return a result that matches the search criteria. This can be very useful when you need to quickly identify specific data points or find the highest or lowest value in a range of cells.
The Lookup function is often used to quickly find information in a large database or spreadsheet. For example, you could use it to compare pricing data from different vendors or to identify the highest sales numbers in a certain period. The Lookup function is also commonly used to quickly find the right row or column that contains the data you need.
The Lookup function can be used in a variety of ways to quickly search for and find data. In this article, we’ll explain how the Lookup function works and provide some examples of how to use it.
How to Use Lookup in Excel?
The Lookup function in Excel is used to quickly search for and find values in a range of cells. To use the Lookup function, you must provide a range of cells as the lookup range, a value to search for, and the column number of the data you want to find.
For example, if you wanted to find the price of an item in a range of cells, you would enter the range of cells as the lookup range, the item name as the search value, and the column number of the price data as the column number of the data you want to find.
The Lookup function also has several other optional parameters that can be used to control the behavior of the function. These parameters include the exact match, match type, and range lookup parameters. Each of these parameters is explained in more detail below.
Exact Match Parameter
The Exact Match parameter can be used to specify whether the Lookup function should return the exact match or the closest match to the search value. By default, the Lookup function will return the exact match.
For example, if you search for the value “Apple” and the lookup range contains the values “Apple”, “Apples”, and “Apple Pie”, the Lookup function will return the exact match “Apple”.
If the Exact Match parameter is set to FALSE, the Lookup function will return the closest match to the search value. In this example, the Lookup function would return the value “Apples”.
Match Type Parameter
The Match Type parameter can be used to specify whether the Lookup function should search for an exact match or a partial match. By default, the Lookup function will search for an exact match.
For example, if you search for the value “Apple” and the lookup range contains the values “Apple”, “Apples”, and “Apple Pie”, the Lookup function will return the exact match “Apple”.
If the Match Type parameter is set to 1, the Lookup function will search for a partial match. In this example, the Lookup function would return the value “Apples”.
Range Lookup Parameter
The Range Lookup parameter can be used to specify whether the Lookup function should search for a value in the first column of the lookup range or in all of the columns. By default, the Lookup function will search for a value in the first column.
For example, if you search for the value “Apple” and the lookup range contains the values “Apple”, “Apples”, and “Apple Pie” in the first column and the values “Red”, “Green”, and “Yellow” in the second column, the Lookup function will return the value “Apple”.
If the Range Lookup parameter is set to TRUE, the Lookup function will search for a value in all of the columns. In this example, the Lookup function would return the value “Apple Pie”.
Examples of Lookup in Excel
Now that you understand how the Lookup function works, let’s look at some examples of how to use it.
Example 1: Finding the Highest Value
In this example, we’ll use the Lookup function to find the highest value in a range of cells. To do this, we’ll use the Lookup function with the exact match parameter set to FALSE, the match type parameter set to 1, and the range lookup parameter set to FALSE.
We’ll enter the range of cells to search as the lookup range, the highest value in the range as the search value, and the column number of the value we want to return as the column number of the data we want to find.
For example, if we wanted to find the highest value in the range of cells A1:A5, which contains the values 5, 4, 6, 3, and 7, we would enter “A1:A5” as the lookup range, “7” as the search value, and “1” as the column number of the data we want to find. The Lookup function would then return the value 7.
Example 2: Finding a Specific Value
In this example, we’ll use the Lookup function to find a specific value in a range of cells. To do this, we’ll use the Lookup function with the exact match parameter set to TRUE, the match type parameter set to 0, and the range lookup parameter set to FALSE.
We’ll enter the range of cells to search as the lookup range, the value to search for as the search value, and the column number of the value we want to return as the column number of the data we want to find.
For example, if we wanted to find the value “Apple” in the range of cells B1:B5, which contains the values “Apple”, “Banana”, “Cherry”, “Date”, and “Eggplant”, we would enter “B1:B5” as the lookup range, “Apple” as the search value, and “1” as the column number of the data we want to find. The Lookup function would then return the value “Apple”.
Example 3: Finding the Closest Match
In this example, we’ll use the Lookup function to find the closest match to a value in a range of cells. To do this, we’ll use the Lookup function with the exact match parameter set to FALSE, the match type parameter set to 1, and the range lookup parameter set to FALSE.
We’ll enter the range of cells to search as the lookup range, the value to search for as the search value, and the column number of the value we want to return as the column number of the data we want to find.
For example, if we wanted to find the closest match to the value “Apple” in the range of cells C1:C5, which contains the values “Apple”, “Apples”, “Apple Pie”, “Apricot”, and “Avocado”, we would enter “C1:C5” as the lookup range, “Apple” as the search value, and “1” as the column number of the data we want to find. The Lookup function would then return the value “Apples”.
Few Frequently Asked Questions
What is an Excel Lookup?
An Excel Lookup is a feature that allows you to search for specific information in a range of cells. It can be used to quickly locate data within a spreadsheet, such as a customer’s name or address. Lookups can also be used to compare multiple values or to find the closest match for a particular value.
What are the Different Types of Lookups in Excel?
The two most common types of lookups in Excel are the VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP functions. The VLOOKUP (vertical look up) searches for a value in the leftmost column of a range of cells, and returns the corresponding value from another column. The HLOOKUP (horizontal look up) searches for a value in the top row of a range of cells, and returns the corresponding value from another row.
How to Use VLOOKUP in Excel?
VLOOKUP is used to look up a value in the leftmost column of a range of cells and return the corresponding value from another column. To use this function, you need to specify the lookup value, the range of cells, the column number within the range, and whether the lookup should be exact or approximate. For example, the formula =VLOOKUP(“John”, A2:B8, 2, FALSE) looks up the value “John” in the leftmost column (A2:A8) and returns the corresponding value from the second column (B2:B8).
How to Use HLOOKUP in Excel?
HLOOKUP is used to look up a value in the top row of a range of cells and return the corresponding value from another row. To use this function, you need to specify the lookup value, the range of cells, the row number within the range, and whether the lookup should be exact or approximate. For example, the formula =HLOOKUP(“John”, A2:B8, 2, FALSE) looks up the value “John” in the top row (A2:B2) and returns the corresponding value from the second row (A3:B3).
What are the Advantages of Using Excel Lookups?
Excel lookups are a great tool for quickly finding information within a spreadsheet. They are much faster and more accurate than manually searching through a large dataset. They also allow you to compare multiple values or find the closest match for a particular value.
What are the Disadvantages of Using Excel Lookups?
The main disadvantage of using Excel lookups is that they can be slow and inefficient when dealing with large datasets. They are also limited to the range of cells specified, so they cannot search outside of the range. Additionally, they are not very user-friendly, so they can be difficult to use for novice users.
How to use the LOOKUP Function in Excel
Overall, Microsoft Excel is an incredibly powerful and useful tool. With a few simple steps, you can easily lookup and find the data you need. Whether you’re using the VLOOKUP or HLOOKUP functions, you can quickly locate the information you need and make sure your work is accurate. With the help of Excel, you can save time and energy while ensuring the data in your spreadsheets is correct.
