Excel VLOOKUP: Basics of VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP explained with examples

Dive into the basics of Excel VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP functions and learn how to efficiently retrieve data from large tables. These functions are pivotal for anyone dealing with extensive datasets in Excel.


🔑 Key Highlights:
VLOOKUP Simplified: Learn how to use VLOOKUP for vertical data. Discover how to pick out specific data like prices and customer details from extensive tables.
HLOOKUP Explained: Understand HLOOKUP for horizontal data setups. Perfect for when your data has row headers and you need to extract precise information.
Practical Examples: Watch real-life scenarios that demonstrate how these functions can transform your data handling and reporting in Excel.
Advanced Tips: Step beyond basic usage and see how to integrate VLOOKUP into more complex calculations.

🚨 Beware of Limitations:
VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP can't look left. We'll show you how to tweak your data setup for reverse lookups.

00:00 Basics of Excel VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP
00:57 How to use Excel VLOOKUP
07:14 How to use Excel HLOOKUP
09:59 Limitation of Excel VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP

The Excel VLOOKUP formula can search for a specific category or value in an Excel data table and return the “opposing” value from adjacent columns. HLOOKUP function works exactly in the same way except that it looks horizontally rather than vertically.

“V” in VLOOKUP refers to vertical and “H” in HLOOKUP refers to horizontal. If the data in your table has column headers, use the VLOOKUP function. If the data table has row headers and you need to search horizontally across the rows for a “match” then use HLOOKUP formula.

Vlookup formulas do not need to have sorted lists. If your Excel table is unsorted make sure you look for an exact match by selecting "false" in the last argument of Vlookup.

One major limitation of VLOOKUP is that it cannot look to the left. The values to lookup must always be on the left-most column of the range and the values to return must be on the right hand side.

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#excel

[catalinopestanonremt]

Excellent tutorial! Thanks so much, Leila! Much appreciate the very clear and straightforward explanation!

[nooryassinnoor]

The best step by step tutorials on excel. Keep up the work Leila.

[aliyarhusain]

Thank you so much, Leila gave the lecture of V&H lookup. Especially how to implement formula in lookup function.

[krsforever]

The best explanations on excel I've seen. I need those functions for my exam, but I've never used them before. You make them so easy to understand, I don't even have to watch the video a second time. Thank you, you are amazing.

[lakshChait]

Finally learnt H look up. Thank you so much Leila. Great tutorial

[howardclemetson]

Excellent teacher. Leila you are gifted with the ability to simplify complex information. You make learning very easy. Many thanks.

[SanjayKumar-yxgc]

Thank you so much Leila, gave the lecture of V&H lookup. Specially how to implement formula in lookup function.

[Dwayne]

I don't know what's more empowering... Realizing how easy VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP is to use or finding out after all these years, the "V" and the "H" simply refer to "Vertical" and "Horizontal". Either way, this was exceptional in its simplicity. Thank you kindly 😁

[llstringbean]

I love your videos. I use Vlookup with choose combined constantly. Combining the Choose function allows you to get values to the left of your lookup column

[shubhamsahai]

I follow your excel tutorials regularly. Thank you very much, these tutorials help me a lot!

[miabardawil]

Always saving me before my Excel exams! Thank you for the awesome content, you explain it better than my teacher ever will!

[melissasass]

Thank you for explaining this in such a simple way!!!

[rezaazari]

Merci Leila Jan. Love your explanations, so simple and clear.

[liveyourdream]

Your explanations are clear and detailed! Very easy to follow, thank you very much. I´ve learnt so much from your videos on Excel. :)

[andrear]

I found vlookup confusing but you're explaining it in a way i can understand. Thank you.

[sunnyduscle]

You are a good teacher - relaxed and easy to understand

[BeaverTheBrave]

You can actually do vlookups to the right by using the choose function instead of selecting your range. By doing this you alocate a column number to each of the colums you are interested in (E=1, A=2, B=3 etc.) hence looking up a value found in colum E and returning the value in column A and/or B (which are now the second and third columns due to the virtual table you created whitin the formula). Formula looks like this when tring to bring the Quantity by Customer: =VLOOKUP(J4, CHOOSE({1, 2}, E:E, B:B), 2, FALSE)

[chritopherabuel]

Thank you Leila for a simple video on vlook-uphlookup formulas.

[someguy]

Thanks so much Leila. I was getting errors with trying to create multiple dependent drop down lists, but your ctrl + Shift + D + Down shortcut worked! It's not dependent but at least I can get the multiple drop down lists working for now.

[RajKumar-kuqz]

This is simple and good way to explain H lookup & V lookup.

Thanks ma'am