Vlookup & HLookup
Excel can use a function to lookup and retrieve data from a specific column or row within a table. Vlookup works to return back a column of data and Hlookup works to return a row of data instead, therefore the V stands for vertical lookup and the H, Horizontal lookup.
Syntax
=Vlookup(Value, Table, Col_index, [Range_lookup])
Arguments
Value - The Value to look for in the first column of the table
Table - The table from which to look up the value in and retrieve a column_index value.
Col_Index - The column number of the table from which to retrieve the value from.
Range_lookup - [This is optional] - True - Approximate match. False - Exact match
Step by Step:
1. Make sure that the data values you are going to be 'looking-up' are in the first column of the table. In this example, I'm going to look up an order number to return back the other information about the order using a Vlookup function. Therefore I must make sure that the order number is in the first column of the table:
2. Now we must make a small area for us to make the lookup area in. I.e. where the values we're looking up will be printed:
3. For each value you wish to Look-up, we must create a function. In order to return the value of 'Item' from the table, we must use the col_index: 2. As this will return back the second column of information next to the order number values. This animation will display the process of creating the function for returning the 'item' field:
4. If you wish to view further lookup fields, we can use the same function in the cell next door, but change the col_index number in order to return back a different column of data, in this particular case we want to return back the 3rd value which would be the customer name:
