How to use VLOOKUP formula in excel?

How to use VLOOKUP formula in excel?

Through this article we will explain you “how Vlookup formula works?”

VLOOKUP

When you type ‘=Vlookup’ in your excel sheet you will find the formula help box which states the use of the formula. See Figure 1

Figure 1: The screen which you see when you are entering the formula Vlookup

 

What is VLOOKUP ?

Vlookup looks for a value in a given table, and then returns a value in the same row or column based on your requirements.

 

What is the use of this formula?

We have a small hypothetical database of a cricket team with 7 players in the form of Figure 2

Figure 2: A hypothetical database of a cricket team

We have chosen a small table for explanation purpose only. The real usage of a lookup formula is felt when the database is very large. Now if we were to search the name of the player using his unique sl no. this is how we can do by using the lookup formula

Now let’s learn the components of the formula

a) Lookup_value = It denotes the value you want to lookup it can be cell or the exact value which you want to lookup. In my example let’s say 5

b) Table_array = It denotes the table in which you want to search the values. Here you can select the table from Sl No. to 100, the complete table

c) col_index_num = It denotes the column no. in which you want the value. For example here if I want to find the name of the player 5 then I will say column no. 2 because it denotes name in our column.

d) [range_lookup] = It denotes whether you want exact match or approx match. Here we want exact match hence we will say the same in the formula

If you use the formula then you will get the required answer i.e. "VINAY"

Test for a few and you will learn the art of using the formula lookup.