Using VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP with Real-Life Examples in Google Sheets
The VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP functions are powerful tools for searching and retrieving data from large datasets in Google Sheets. These functions allow you to quickly find information without scrolling through hundreds of rows or columns.
🔎 1. The VLOOKUP Function: Vertical Lookup
The VLOOKUP (Vertical Lookup) function is used to search for a value in the first column of a range and return a value from another column in the same row. The syntax is:
=VLOOKUP(search_key, range, index, [is_sorted])
Here’s how to use VLOOKUP with a real-life example:
- Example 1: You have a list of product IDs in column A and product prices in column B. To find the price of a product with ID "A123", you would use:
=VLOOKUP("A123", A1:B10, 2, FALSE)
🔄 2. The HLOOKUP Function: Horizontal Lookup
The HLOOKUP (Horizontal Lookup) function works similarly to VLOOKUP, but it searches for a value in the first row and returns a value from another row in the same column. The syntax is:
=HLOOKUP(search_key, range, index, [is_sorted])
Here’s a real-life example of HLOOKUP:
- Example 2: You have a dataset where the first row contains months (January to December) and the second row contains monthly sales figures. To find the sales for June, you would use:
=HLOOKUP("June", A1:L2, 2, FALSE)
📊 VLOOKUP vs HLOOKUP
While both VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP perform similar functions, the main difference is the direction in which they search:
- VLOOKUP: Searches for a value in the first column (vertical lookup).
- HLOOKUP: Searches for a value in the first row (horizontal lookup).
Choose the function based on whether your data is organized vertically (VLOOKUP) or horizontally (HLOOKUP).
💡 Tips for Using VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP
- Exact Match: Always set the [is_sorted] argument to
FALSE
for an exact match. For example:=VLOOKUP("A123", A1:B10, 2, FALSE)
- Column/Row Index: Be sure to enter the correct column index number (for VLOOKUP) or row index number (for HLOOKUP) to retrieve the correct data.
- Using VLOOKUP Across Multiple Sheets: You can use VLOOKUP to search across multiple sheets by referencing the sheet name. For example:
=VLOOKUP("A123", 'Sheet2'!A1:B10, 2, FALSE)
📥 Downloadable PDF
Tags: VLOOKUP function, HLOOKUP function, Google Sheets tutorial, lookup functions, VLOOKUP examples, Google Sheets formulas
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