VLOOKUP(lookup_value, range, col_index_num)

The VLOOKUP function looks up a value in a table and returns a corresponding value from a specified column. For example, consider following table:

 

A

B

C

1

Day

Rainfall

Sunshine

2

1

122

6

3

2

135

1.9

4

3

78

5.6

5

4

88

3.2

You want a function to return the Rainfall and Sunshine for the second day:

VLOOKUP(2, B2..B5, 2) – returns rainfall, 135

VLOOKUP(2, B2..B5, 3) – returns sunshine, 1.9

Note that the lookup_value must exist in the range.

VLOOKUP works in the same way vertically as HLOOKUP works horizontally.

VLOOKUP works in a similar way to LOOKUP except it’s easier to control the column returned with VLOOKUP (a single offset value rather than specifying a range for the return column).

See also:

Other lookup functions