How to vlookup excel Overview
If you have worked with Microsoft Excel, then chances are you’ve had a difficult time extracting information from a dataset or a table.
VLOOKUP is a function that makes the process of retrieving that piece of information easier and faster. Best Amazon Deals
VLOOKUP’s usefulness is even more pronounced when working with large amounts of data, especially for large firms.
The hardest part about using VLOOKUP is understanding how it works, but once you get it, you will never be frustrated every time you need to look things up.
How VLOOKUP operates
VLOOKUP uses a formula that checks for a value in the leftmost column of a given table then returns a value in the same row that you directed, just like a spreadsheet.
This ability allows VLOOKUP to be useful in many diverse sets of data.
Another thing to understand about the VLOOKUP function is the argument it uses.
� Table; This is the table from which you will extract your values.
The VLOOKUP function will search the values in the left-most column.
� Value; this is the value you want to look-up and is in the first column of your table.
� Col_index; an integer that contains the return value
� Range_lookup; this includes the location of the lookup value and is always in the first column.
You should also note that VLOOKUP only looks right, so, when you use VLOOKUP ensue, your table has values in the left-most column.
The data you obtain is also based on the column number.
Lastly, the VLOOKUP function was designed with two matching modes in mind; approximate match (TRUE) and exact match (FALSE).
The approximate match is when you want the best match, and for that reason, you will use VLOOKUP in approximate match mode.
In this case, the exact match cannot be found. A good example is looking at the commission rate.
Exact match, on the other hand, can be used in exact match mode and applies when you have a unique key that you can use as your lookup value. A good example is a name of a song.
Note that when an exact match is not found, then you will receive an error.
How to use VLOOKUP
Once you understand how to vlookup Excel, then you can go through the step-by-step guide.
1. You need to organize your data
Even though VLOOKUP function helps make you work easier, it is best to arrange your work mainly in the right order (from left to right) to get the best out of it.
2. Express what you want the function to lookup
You need to tell the function of what piece of information you want it to lookup.
This step is where you input the formula followed by the data (e.g., oranges) you are looking for.
3. Tell you function where to look
After selecting the table containing your dataset, tell your Excel to look for the information we chose in step two in the leftmost column.
4. The exact column to output your data from
To get the best output out of the VLOOKUP, you will have to tell Excel which column has the data.
5. Get the approximate or exact match
This is the final step, and, in this step, you enter the TRUE or FALSE in your formula to get the approximate or exact match.
Understanding how to use VLOOKUP can significantly reduce the amount of work one has to do to get a piece of information from a table containing large amounts of data.
The hardest part of using VLOOKUP function is understanding the basics, but once you get it, your work will be a lot easier. Best Amazon Deals
