#excel #vlookup 🧠 How to Make Search Box in Excel by using Vlookup Function? | @DigitalTechknow

🔍 How to Make a Search Box in Microsoft Excel Using the VLOOKUP Function?

📺 Presented by DIGITAL TECHKNOW

📌 Introduction: What You'll Learn in This Excel Tutorial
Welcome to DIGITAL TECHKNOW — your hub for professional tutorials on Excel, Power BI, MS Word, Tally, Photoshop, and more!

In today’s video, we’ll show you how to create a dynamic Search Box in Microsoft Excel using the VLOOKUP function — a powerful tool that allows you to search for data in a table based on a value you input. This technique is useful for:

Employee records 🧑‍💼

Product lookups 📦

Inventory searches 📊

Student databases 🎓

and much more!

✅ No coding required. Just Excel formulas and a smart UI setup.

🧠 What is VLOOKUP in Excel?
VLOOKUP stands for Vertical Lookup. It searches for a value in the first column of a table and returns a value in the same row from another column.

🧾 Syntax:
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=VLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num, [range_lookup])
🔍 Example:
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=VLOOKUP(A2, B2:D10, 2, FALSE)
📌 Key Points:

lookup_value: The value to search (e.g., ID).

table_array: The range where to search.

col_index_num: The column from which to fetch the data.

range_lookup: Use FALSE for exact match.

🛠️ Step-by-Step: Create a Search Box Using VLOOKUP
1️⃣ Prepare Your Data Table
Create a table with at least two columns:

Column A: Search Key (e.g., Product ID)

Column B: Result (e.g., Product Name)

📌 Tip: Give your table a name using Formulas Name Manager for better readability.

2️⃣ Create the Search Input Field
Decide where the user will enter the search value.

🖊️ Example:
Cell E2 for input: Enter Product ID

3️⃣ Apply the VLOOKUP Formula
Now, in another cell (say F2), enter the formula:

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=VLOOKUP(E2, A2:B4, 2, FALSE)
✨ What It Does:
Takes the input in E2

Searches for it in the first column of A2:B4

Returns the value from the second column (Product Name)

4️⃣ Format the Search Box Professionally
✅ Use Data Validation:

Limit input to valid formats (e.g., numbers only)

✅ Add a Drop-down List (Optional):

Use Data Data Validation List for pre-defined inputs

✅ Use Conditional Formatting:

Highlight if value is found or not found

Show error messages using IFERROR
=IFERROR(VLOOKUP(E2, A2:B4, 2, FALSE), "Product not found")
🎨 Add Design and Icons for a Professional Look
Make your Excel Search Box visually attractive:

🖼️ Add borders and background shading to input cells

🟢 Use green color for successful search results

🔴 Show red or bold text for “Not Found” messages

🎯 Use Excel Shapes to create a “Search” button look

📚 Real-Life Examples Where Search Box is Useful
Search by Emp ID to display name and department.

Use VLOOKUP to search student name and grade by roll number.

💡 Bonus Tip: Use Named Ranges
Give your data range a name:

Select the range A2:B4

Go to Formulas Define Name

Name it: ProductList

Now your formula becomes:

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=VLOOKUP(E2, ProductList, 2, FALSE)
✅ Easier to read
✅ Easier to manage

🧪 Advanced Tips: Combine VLOOKUP with Other Excel Functions
🔁 Combine with IFERROR
Handle missing entries:

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=IFERROR(VLOOKUP(E2, A2:B4, 2, FALSE), "No match found ❌")
🔗 Combine with CONCATENATE or TEXTJOIN
Lookup based on combined fields like FirstName & LastName.

🔄 Use with Dynamic Drop-down Search
Create an interactive form using Excel Form Controls (Combo Box + VLOOKUP).

📌 Common Errors in VLOOKUP and How to Fix Them
❗ Error Message 💬 Meaning 🛠️ Solution
#N/A No match found Use IFERROR to handle it
#REF! Invalid column index Check col_index_num
Wrong results Approximate match error Use FALSE as 4th argument
Sluggish Performance Large datasets Use INDEX-MATCH combo

🧰 Excel Features Used in This Tutorial
✅ VLOOKUP Function
✅ IFERROR Function
✅ Data Validation
✅ Conditional Formatting
✅ Named Ranges
✅ Cell Formatting
✅ Dynamic UI Design

🎓 Skills You'll Learn
How to build a functional UI in Excel

How to make Excel behave like an interactive search engine

How to enhance spreadsheets with smart formulas and formatting

🎬 Watch the Full Video and Practice Live
🖥️ This video comes with real-time demos, clear voiceover in Hindi, and easy-to-follow visuals.

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📥 Download practice files from the link in the description.

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