How to Utilize VLOOKUP in Excel with Multiple Sheets VLOOKUP is a powerful Microsoft Excel function designed to search for specific values within a table or range and fetch corresponding data from another column, be it within the same table or a different one. The term “VLOOKUP” is derived from “Vertical Lookup,” indicating its capability to search for data in a vertical column.
To utilize VLOOKUP effectively, users need to supply four essential arguments. These include the lookup value, which is the value being searched for; the range or table array that contains the data to be analyzed; the column number that holds the data to be retrieved; and a logical value that determines whether an exact match or an approximate match is sought.
VLOOKUP is a valuable tool for organizing and analyzing data in Excel, particularly when dealing with extensive datasets. It finds applications in various scenarios, such as generating sales reports, analyzing inventory data, and creating customer information databases.
When using VLOOKUP or any Excel tool, it is essential to avoid plagiarism by giving proper credit to the sources. This involves citing references, formatting data appropriately, and refraining from copying and pasting external content without permission or attribution.
In this article, we will focus on how to use VLOOKUP in Excel with two sheets to retrieve specific data. Let’s go through the steps:
Step 1: Identify the Data to Retrieve
First, identify the data you wish to retrieve. For instance, suppose you have two sheets, Sheet1 and Sheet2. Sheet1 contains a list of products and their prices, while Sheet2 has a list of sales with corresponding product codes. The objective is to retrieve the prices for each product sold in Sheet2.
Step 2: Create the VLOOKUP Formula
To create the VLOOKUP formula, you need four arguments:
- Lookup_value: The value you want to search for in Sheet1. In this case, it’s the product code in Sheet2.
- Table_array: The range of cells in Sheet1 where the data is located. This includes the product codes and prices.
- Col_index_num: The column number in the table array where the data you want to retrieve is located. In this example, it’s the column containing the prices.
- Range_lookup: A logical value specifying whether an exact match or an approximate match is needed. For this case, we want an exact match, so we use FALSE.
The formula will look like this:
=VLOOKUP(A2,Sheet1!$A$2:$B$10,2,FALSE)
Here, A2 is the first product code in Sheet2, and Sheet1!$A$2:$B$10 is the range in Sheet1 containing the product codes and prices. The number 2 represents the column containing the prices, and FALSE specifies an exact match.
Step 3: Copy the Formula Down the Column
Copy the VLOOKUP formula down the column in Sheet2 to retrieve prices for all products sold. Simply click and drag the bottom right corner of the cell containing the formula to the bottom of the column.
Step 4: Check for Errors
After copying the formula down the column, check for errors. If a product code in Sheet2 is not found in Sheet1, the VLOOKUP formula will return an #N/A error. To handle this error, use the IFERROR function to display a user-friendly message, like this:
=IFERROR(VLOOKUP(A2,Sheet1!$A$2:$B$10,2,FALSE),”Product not found”)
This modified formula displays “Product not found” if the VLOOKUP formula returns an #N/A error.
In conclusion, VLOOKUP is a powerful Excel function that can save time when working with extensive datasets. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can effectively use VLOOKUP to retrieve data from two sheets in Excel.
