Excel Vlookup Index Match
❤️ Click here: Match index vlookup
It works perfectly if one of the criteria is not number though. See the range C2: C7 above.
Conclusion Excel has many useful lookup functions, that can assist with retrieving values under specified conditions. The values in the lookup array must be sorted in ascending order, i.
Look up values with VLOOKUP, INDEX, or MATCH - Do not add the curly braces , Excel will add those by itself.
Index Match is a better alternative to Vlookup and Hlookup in Google Sheets. You can use INDEX and MATCH functions in combined form to use it as a better alternative to VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP. Before going to tell you what are the benefits of using Index Match over Vlookup and Hlookup functions, let us see how to use them independently. In Index formula, we can use offset row and column numbers to return a specific content of a cell. The above formula and image can simply teach you how to use Google Sheets Index formula. To learn the advanced use of Index Function in Google Spreadsheets please follow this link — How to Use Match Formula in Google Sheets The Match is another lookup formula in Google sheets that we can use independently or in tandem with Index. Just like Vlookup and Hlookup, you can use Match formula for vertical or horizontal look up. Vertical Use of Match Formula in Google Sheets Sample Use: Unlike Index, this Match formula returns a number. It is obviously the relative position of a lookup item. This formula returns 5. See the range C2: C7 above. You can only use any single column range in MATCH formula in Google Sheets. Another example of a single column range is A2: A7. When you want to use Single Row in Match formula, use it as below. Horizontal Use of Match Formula in Google Sheets When you have a horizontal data set, you should use the Match formula horizontally. Here is the example. This is the same sample data which we have used earlier. Here is a detailed tutorial on the Match formula use in Google Sheets — Learn the above two functions thoroughly. Then move to the below Index Match combined use. Index Match — How that Combination Works Here is the Index Match combination trick. I have used the above two formulas here and compared. In the above Index formula, you can replace the number 5, which is row offset with Match Formula as Match formula returns a number. Right now you just understand this. Just read on to learn more about how the Index Mach combination formula works in Google Sheets. We are talking about how the Index Match is a better alternative to Vlookup and Hlookup in Google Sheets. How to Use Google Sheets Vlookup and Hlookup Formulas Vlookup or Vertical Lookup Formula For detailed tutorial go this page — The above Vlookup tutorial covers everything that you want to know about this function. Google Sheets Vlookup formula is very easy to use compared to the above Index Match functions. What does it do? Vlookup formula searches down the first column of a range for a given search key. Then it returns the value of a specified cell in that row. Here you should remember two points. Vlookup looks for the given key in the first column of the given range. Here the range is A2: G7. So, by default, Vlookup looks for the key in the first column here in the range A2: A7 only. Note: I have given a link to my Vlookup tutorial, just under the title above. That tutorial covers how to tweak Vlookup to lookup a different column other than the default first column. In our Vlookup formula, column Index 1 means Column A, 2 represents column B and so on. Because our data range is A2: G7 in the formula. The Hlookup or Horizontal Lookup Formula Similarly above you can use Hlookup formula for horizontal look up. To know in detail how to use Hlookup Formula in Google Sheets switch to this guide — Once learned, move to the below tips. Index and Match Formula Combination as an Alternative to Vlookup and Hlookup Now, I will reveal that trick. Actually, Index function is equal to Vlookup as both return value of a specified cell. Then why we require Match function in between? To know that you should understand where the Index and Vlookup difference lie. Difference between Index and Vlookup Formula Both Index and Vlookup can return the same result. For example, see the below image. Hope you will notice the color highlighting on the formulas. As I have already mentioned above, Vlookup and Index can return the content of a specific cell. But the approach is different. In Index, there is no key. It simply uses the offset row and column feature. So let us straightaway go to the example. How to Use Index Match as an Alternative to Vlookup From the above examples, you can understand that Index is similar to Vlookup as well as Hlookup. Here comes the importance of Match formula. Match formula can accept search key similar to Vlookup or Hlookup. Match formula accepts search key and returns relative position. That means indirectly we can use search key in Index formula with the help of Match formula. See how this Index Match combination works to replace Vlookup here. The above formula can tell you a whole lot of thing. Please pay special attention to the color highlighting. Learn the usage and move to the next tips. How to Use Index Match as an Alternative to Hlookup Now the same way, we can use Index Match for Horizontal Lookup. I am not going into much detail. The Advantage of Index Match Over Vlookup and Hlookup This is the final part. Why should one switch to INDEX MATCH from Vlookup or Hlookup formulas? Most of the Google Sheets as well as Excel users aware of the use of the Vlookup function. So I think the importance of Index and Match functions are undermined somewhat. Now to the point. See the below example. I wish to clarify that advanced Vlookup users can overcome this shortfall by using a virtual array as lookup range. I have written about that already. There is no option in Vlookup to return a value left to the lookup value. We did it with the Index Match formula below. Here we want to know the sales value of Ann Rivera in January. With Index Match combo, we addressed this issue. The problem here is, when you insert a new column between column 1 and column 4, you will get a wrong answer. Again Index Match combo formula can solve this issue. See the alternative Index Match formula below. See that tricky combination below. The above disadvantages of Vlookup against Index Match combination are applicable to Hlookup too. But as I have mentioned we can overcome all the shortfalls of Vlookup over Index-Match either by tweaking the range or index number in Vlookup.
Use VLOOKUP to Find the 2nd Match (or nth Match)
My efforts to introduce the link method into the INDEX MATCH formula are unsuccessfull. Many users find this confusing, because they aren't used to combining functions in Excel, so they avoid INDEX and MATCH. The Lookup Criteria can be met directly into the formula or it match index vlookup be a reference to a cell that contains the Lookup Criteria. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Hi, thank you very much for the detail and clear instruction. Hello, In my scenario, I am using G2 as a date and would north to retrieve the date closest to the date provided on G2.
