Excel Vlookup function
How to use Excel VLOOKUP function?
First, we should explain the reason for using this function:
The VLOOKUP excel function is used to get a data from a reference table based on a key. in another words, it is used to make a connection to a reference data stored in a separate table (or range).
The reference data should be stored vertically where the key (lookup value should be in the first column of the range.
Please note that the VLOOKUP function is reading the reference date from the left only.
Second, Excel VLOOKUP easy explanation:
The function has 4 components.
- Lookup value (is your key input, the looking up search will be based on it)
- Table array (is your reference)
- Column index number (specifies your target column number in the table array)
- Range of lookup (True [or 0] if you want an exact match, if not but False [or 1, or omit this component]).
Excel VLOOKUP Function example:
let's make a simple game to clarify how to use the VLOOKUP function.
suppose we have a table of chemical elements like the following table and let its name is Table1
Your objective in this example is to make a formula that would find the name of the element based on the symbol that is written in cell A1.
The formula should be:
=VLOOKUP(A1,Table1,2,False)
which means:
- Excel, please go to cell A1 and find what symbol is written in it.
- Go to the elements reference that is stored in Table1
- Choose the second row in Table1
- Give an exact match to what is stored in cell A1, go to the row of the required symbol and the look to second column and get the required data.
So, if we input "C" in cell A1 , the result of the VLOOKUP formula would be "Carbon"
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Thank you for your time
if you are new to excel you can start with this page:
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