VLOOKUP could only search for a value in the first leftmost column of a data range. Similarly, HLOOKUP could only search for a value in the top row of the range: When the key field is to the right of the range you want to retrieve, VLOOKUP will not work.
As already mentioned, VLOOKUP cannot look at its left. So, unless your lookup values are is the leftmost column, there's no chance that a Vlookup formula will bring you the result you want. The INDEX MATCH function in Excel is more versatile and does not really care where the lookup and return columns are located.
VLOOKUP returning incorrect results
If you omit to supply match type in a range_lookup argument of VLOOKUP then by default it searches for approximate match values, if it does not find exact match value. And if table_array is not sorted in ascending order by the first column, then VLOOKUP returns incorrect results.
The superior alternative to VLOOKUP is INDEX MATCH. While VLOOKUP works fine in most cases, it tends to reveal flaws when you start using it in large and complex sheets. The INDEX MATCH formula is actually two different functions; INDEX and MATCH.
XLOOKUP can look for values to the left and right of the lookup array, while VLOOKUP is limited to only looking for values to the right of the lookup value column. XLOOKUP allows you to customize text when a valid match is not found, while VLOOKUP only shows you an #N/A (error sign).
If the VLOOKUP function does not find an exact match, it will return the #N/A error. By using the IF and ISNA functions, you can return the Unit Price value if an exact match is found. Otherwise, a 0 value is returned. This allows you to perform mathematical operations on your VLOOKUP results.
Because the return column is specified as an index number, a VLOOKUP formula stops working as soon as a new column is added to or removed from the table array. A lookup value is limited to 255 characters.
Summary. With large sets of data, exact match VLOOKUP can run painfully slow when configured for an exact match. This is because there is no requirement that the lookup values be sorted and VLOOKUP must perform a linear search, which is a slow operation when there are many values to check.
The primary disadvantage of lookup tables is their memory usage. Not only do you need to use an extra variable to keep track of all the numbers, but it is very possible that you can end up storing numbers that you won't even use.
Basically, VLOOKUP lets you search for specific information in your spreadsheet. For example, if you have a list of products with prices, you could search for the price of a specific item. My name is Kartik, I have 6 years of experience in Data analysis.
Answer: Yes, VLOOKUP can handle alphanumeric data in Excel. It's a function that finds a specific value from a huge data table.
In Excel, combine VLOOKUP with IF to get a result conditional on the value returned by VLOOKUP (yes/no, true/false, ...). The value that is returned from the formula. The value to look for in the first column of the Search range.
The VLOOKUP formula only returns one match, whereas there are a few. Read more about Microsoft Excel integrations for data export on a schedule. The best way to lookup all the matches is the FILTER function, which is available for Excel Online and Excel for Microsoft 365.
Well, VLOOKUP is designed to return a single value, not multiple values. That is, VLOOKUP scans down the lookup range and stops at the first matching row … ignoring any additional matching rows. Once VLOOKUP finds a matching row, it shoots to the right to retrieve the related value from a single column.
VLOOKUP must be utilized for looking into values from Left to Right. INDEX MATCH can look into the qualities from Left to Right as well as Right to Left. VLOOKUP just can query through vertical lines, for example, segments, and not through columns.
With sorted data and an approximate match, INDEX-MATCH is about 30% faster than VLOOKUP. With sorted data and a fast technique to find an exact match, INDEX-MATCH is about 13% faster than VLOOKUP. Additionally, however, you can use a version of the INDEX-MATCH technique to calculate MUCH more quickly than with VLOOKUP.
The VLOOKUP function in Excel is a powerful function used to lookup data in a table organized vertically. It looks down the left column of a range to find a value.
VLOOKUP function is best suited for situations when you are looking for a matching data point in a column, and when the matching data point is found, you go to the right in that row and fetch a value from a cell which is a specified number of columns to the right.
VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP are both slow functions that are possibly volatile, which means that if something ever changes in your spreadsheet, all these functions will recalculate and it will really slow down everything.
TRUE finds the approximate match. TRUE is also represented by 1. In the case of a numerical scenario, it always finds the less than or equal to the lookup value in the table array.
Step 1: Keep Both Workbooks Open
Both workbooks must be open when using the VLOOKUP formula between two workbooks. If the second workbook is closed, the function will return an error. You can either open them separately or use the “Open” command in Excel to open them both at once.
The only limitation of the LOOKUP Function is that it's not completely dynamic. If, for example, you wanted to be able to change the output column from Age to Country, you'd need to manually change the formula to refer to a different column.