How to use the VLOOKUP function to search for data in a table in Excel?

To use the VLOOKUP function to search for data in a table in Excel, follow these steps:

1. Open Excel and make sure your table is properly organized. The data you want to search for should be in the leftmost column of the table.

2. Decide where you want to display the search results in your spreadsheet and enter the VLOOKUP formula in the cell where you want the result to appear.

   The syntax of the VLOOKUP function is: =VLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num, [range_lookup])

   • lookup_value: The value you want to search for.
   • table_array: The range of cells that contain the data you want to search in, including the leftmost column where the data to be matched is located.
   • col_index_num: The column number in the table_array from which you want to fetch the search result.
   • range_lookup: This is optional. If set to TRUE (or omitted), it performs an approximate match. If set to FALSE, it performs an exact match.

3. Replace the arguments in the formula with the desired values.

   Example: =VLOOKUP(A2, B2:D10, 2, FALSE)

   • A2 is the cell containing the lookup value you want to search for.
   • B2:D10 is the range of cells containing the table data.
   • 2 refers to the column number (from the left) in the range B2:D10 from which you want to fetch the result.
   • FALSE means you want the function to perform an exact match.

4. Press Enter to execute the formula, and the cell will display the search result.

The VLOOKUP function will search for the lookup value in the leftmost column of the table and return the corresponding value from the specified column in the same row.