LOOKUP in Excel

LOOKUP Function (Table of Contents)

• LOOKUP In Excel
• LOOKUP Formula in Excel
• How to Use the LOOKUP Function in Excel?

LOOKUP In Excel

LOOKUP function is an inbuilt function categorized under lookup and reference functions

When you need to search for a specific data in one row or one column, will use lookup function, its main purpose is to Look up a value in a one-column or row range or an array (two-dimensional array (table) of data

LOOKUP Function is not case-sensitive.

LOOKUP Formula in Excel

There are 2 types of Formula for the LOOKUP function

1. The Formula of the vector form of Lookup:

LOOKUP (lookup_value, lookup_vector, [result_vector])

2. The Formula of the Array form of Lookup:

LOOKUP (lookup_value, array)

Arguments of LOOKUP formula

LOOKUP Formula has the following arguments:

Lookup_value: A value that LOOKUP searches for in an array, “Array” is a collection of values in rows and columns, it can be a text, number or a reference to a cell containing the lookup value

Lookup_vector: vector refers to a one-column or one-row range. It’s a single column or single row of data that is sorted in ascending order, where the LOOKUP function searches for a value in this range or when you want to specify the range or table array that contains the values that you want to match

Note: Prior to performing lookup function, it must be sorted in ascending order.

Result_vector: It is a single row or single column of data that is of the same size. one-row or one-column range from where you want to return the result or It is the column or a row from where you need to fetch the required value

Array: is the lookup table, where you want to search for the lookup value. Mostly it will have a two-dimensional array (table) of data, values in the column or row of the array,

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Note: Both the text & numeric data in the array must be sorted in ascending order.

Array form of Lookup

Note: Vlookup & Hlookup is used instead of an array form of lookup because it has a limited option.

The difference is that VLOOKUP searches in the first column, HLOOKUP searches for lookup_value in the first row and LOOKUP searches according to the dimensions of an array

How to Use the LOOKUP Function in Excel?

This LOOKUP Function is very simple easy to use. Let us now see how to use LOOKUP function in Excel with the help of some examples.

Example #1 – Vertical Lookup formula

If your source data appears to be a vertical layout, i.e. the entries reside in columns rather than rows, it searches in a one-column range

Here, table array contains student name & registration id which is arranged vertically in columns. 

For a below-specified student name, require a registration id detail?

To obtain a registration_id, will apply lookup formula,

Under the formula toolbar, click on lookup & reference,

in that select LOOKUP function, Pop-up will appear, need to fill the function arguments to obtain the desired result

Lookup_value: is the value to search for. Here we need to lookup “smith” or B6 in a specified column range

Lookup_vector: it is the range that contain one column of text, here it is “E6:E10” which is arranged vertically

Result_vector: one-column range from which you want to return the result, here it is “F6:F10” which is arranged vertically.

Example #2 – Horizontal Lookup formula

If your source data appears to be a horizontal layout, i.e. the entries reside in rows rather than columns

Here, table array contains student name & registration id which is arranged horizontally in rows.

Similar to the first example, here in lookup_vector & result vector, we need to select the row range for both to obtain the desired result

Lookup_value: is the value to search for. Here we need to lookup “smith” or B6 in a specified row range

Lookup_vector: it is the range that contains one row of text, here it is “G6:K6” which is arranged horizontally

Result_vector: one-row range from which you want to return the result, here it is “G7:K7” which is arranged horizontally.

Things to consider prior to application of vector form of LOOKUP

• The Values in lookup_vector should be sorted in ascending order, i.e. from largest to smallest in case of numeric data or from A to Z in case of text data, otherwise your Excel Lookup formula may return an error or incorrect result.
• Result_vector & Lookup_vector must be a one-row or one-column range of the same size.
• The LOOKUP function is not case-sensitive, it does not differentiate lowercase and uppercase text. Uppercase and lowercase characters are considered equivalent
• The Lookup formula searches for an exact match. If lookup_value doesn’t find the relevant value in lookup_vector, LOOKUP Function returns the #N/A error. 

Below mentioned examples illustrate array form of LOOKUP Formula

Array Lookup has 2 arguments

Formula: LOOKUP (lookup_value, array)

Lookup_value – a value to search for in an array

an array is the lookup table, where you want to search for the lookup value. values in the first column or row of the array,

Note: Both the text & numeric data in the array must be sorted in ascending order.

For example: In the array, the name is located in the first column of the array (column E) and Rating in the last column of the array (column F), you can use the following formula to search the name and pull out the rating info

Example #3 – LOOKUP (lookup_value, array)

B12:C23 is lookup-range and E12 is the lookup_value. Formula result will be May as result of the lookup value (5).

Note:

• If the array has more columns than rows, LOOKUP searches in the first row (vertical lookup).
• If the array has more rows than columns or the same number of columns and rows, a Lookup formula searches in the first column (horizontal lookup).
• If a formula can’t find the lookup value, it uses the largest value in the array that is less than or equal to lookup_value.

You can download this LOOKUP Function Excel template here – LOOKUP Function Excel Template

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