- search_value
- lookup_table
- column_num
- [match_type]
- search_value—The value to search for, which must be in the first column of lookup_table.
- lookup_table—The cell range in which to search, containing both the search_value (in the leftmost column) and the return value.
- column_num—A number representing the column position (in lookup_table) of the value to return, with the leftmost column of lookup_table at position 1.
- match_type—[optional]The default is true. Specifies whether to find an exact match (false) or an approximate match (true).
Use a VLOOKUP formula to automatically bring in associated content based on criteria in your sheet. For example, bring in someone's role using their name as the criteria.
- You can use VLOOKUP to look up a value from a table in another sheet. For details on referencing cells from other sheets, see Formulas: Reference Data from Other Sheets.
- If VLOOKUP doesn't find a result, you'll receive a #NO MATCH error. Details on troubleshooting this can be found in the Formula Error Messages article.
- You'll receive a #NO MATCH error if there is not a number within the range that is greater than or equal to the search_value.
- If lookup_table is not sorted in ascending order by the first column, then VLOOKUP returns incorrect results.
- The search_value must be in the leftmost column (position 1) of lookup_table.
- To look up text strings, you must enclose the lookup value in quotation marks (for example, “Task E”).
- With the match_type argument:
- Set match_type to false if your lookup_table is not sorted.
- True (the default value) assumes that the range is sorted ascending and returns the nearest match that is less than or equal to ( <= ) search_value.
- False returns the first exact match.
- You can insert the column number into a formula to indicate which column you are retrieving the value from.
For example, the formula =VLOOKUP([Inventory Item]3, [Inventory Item]1:[Number of Items in Stock]4, 3, false) will return the value 4. The formula is written to retrieve a value from the third column (Number of Items in Stock) in the table below.
This example references the following sheet information:
|
Clothing Item |
Units Sold |
Price Per Unit |
In Stock? |
Status |
Assigned To |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
T-Shirt |
78 |
$15.00 |
true |
Green |
sally@domain.com |
|
2 |
Pants |
42 |
$35.50 |
false |
Red |
tim@domain.com |
|
3 |
Jacket |
217 |
$200.00 |
true |
Yellow |
corey@domain.com |
Given the table above, here are some examples of using VLOOKUP in a sheet:
|
Formula |
Description |
Result |
|---|---|---|
|
IF([In Stock?]1 = 1 (true), VLOOKUP("T-Shirt", [Clothing Item]1:Status3, 5)) |
Return the Status Color. If the “In Stock” column equals 1 (true) look up the value “T-Shirt” in the “Clothing Item” column and produce the value of the “Status Column”, (fourth column in the table). |
Green |
|
IF([In Stock?]2 = 0 (false), VLOOKUP([Row #]1, [Row #]1:[In Stock?]3, 2)) |
Return Item Out of Stock. If the “In Stock” column equals 0 (false) look up the value of Row 2 and produce the value of the Clothing Item, column 2 |
Pants |
|
VLOOKUP("Jacket", [Clothing Item]1:[Price Per Unit]3, 3, false) * [Units Sold]3 |
Return total revenue. Look up the value “Jacket” in the “Clothing Item” column, if found, produce the value in the “Price Per Unit” column ($200). Then multiple this by the “Units Sold” column value (217). |
43400 |
|
VLOOKUP([Clothing Item]1, {Range on Reference Sheet}, 2, false) |
Return the assigned to contact email. Look up the value in the “Clothing Item” column row 1 on the reference sheet, if found, produce, produce the value in the Assigned To column (column 2) on the reference sheet. |
sally@domain.com |
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