All functions / Lookup

VLOOKUP

Finds a value in the first column of a table and returns a value from the same row.

Syntax

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

Arguments

• lookup_value: What to look for in the first column.
• table_array: The table. Its first column is searched.
• col_index_num: Which column to return (1 = first column of the table).
• range_lookup (optional): FALSE for an exact match. TRUE or omitted finds the closest smaller value (first column must be sorted).

Example

=VLOOKUP("P-102", A2:C20, 3, FALSE) → Column 3 of the row for P-102

Practise it

• IFERROR and IFNA
• VLOOKUP: exact matches
• Approximate match for tiers and bands
• Challenge: the class gradebook