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Published on 2025-12-08T00:02:25+08:00

VLOOKUP Function: Complete Guide with Examples

VLOOKUP Function: Complete Guide

What is VLOOKUP?

VLOOKUP searches for a value in the first column of a range and returns a value from another column in the same row.

Syntax

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

Parameters

lookup_value: The value to search for
table_array: The range containing your data
col_index_num: The column number to return (1, 2, 3...)
range_lookup: TRUE (approximate) or FALSE (exact match)

Example

=VLOOKUP(A2, Products!A:C, 3, FALSE)

This searches for the value in A2 within the Products sheet and returns the price from column 3.

Common Errors

#N/A: Value not found in the lookup column
#REF!: Column index number is larger than the table
#VALUE!: Invalid arguments provided

Tips

Always use FALSE for exact match lookups
Ensure the lookup column is the leftmost column
Consider INDEX MATCH for more flexibility

Conclusion

VLOOKUP is essential for data lookups, but consider modern alternatives like XLOOKUP for new projects.

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VLOOKUP Function: Complete Guide with Examples - ExcelGPT