Look up a value in the first column of a range and return a value from another column in the same row.
Syntax
VLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num, [range_lookup])Arguments
lookup_valuerequired
The value to search for in the first column.
table_arrayrequired
The range that contains the data.
col_index_numrequired
The column number in the range to return the value from.
range_lookupoptional
FALSE for exact match, TRUE for approximate. Use FALSE.
VLOOKUP (Vertical Lookup) searches for a key in the leftmost column of a table and returns a value from a column you specify. Set the fourth argument to FALSE for an exact match — the most common and reliable mode. For new workbooks, prefer XLOOKUP, which removes VLOOKUP's left-to-right limitation.
=VLOOKUP("A102", A2:C100, 3, FALSE)→$1,250Finds product A102 in column A and returns its price from column C.
=VLOOKUP(E2, Products!A:D, 2, FALSE)→Wireless MouseLooks up the ID in cell E2 against another sheet and returns the product name.
Pick the lookup key
Choose the value to search for — it must live in the first column of your table.
Select the table and exact column
Highlight the full data range, then count which column holds the answer.
Lock to exact match
End with FALSE so VLOOKUP returns only an exact hit, not the nearest value.
The lookup value wasn't found in the first column. Check for extra spaces, a number-stored-as-text mismatch, or a missing FALSE for exact match. Wrap with IFERROR to show a friendly message.
No — it only returns columns to the right of the key. Use INDEX/MATCH or XLOOKUP to return values to the left.