
The argument can be set to true or false, which means:



An extra column has been inserted and now our lookup column has moved to the right again giving us an incorrect value. This part of the formula is really not dynamic and can return an incorrect value if an extra column is inserted into the worksheet in the area where your data is stored. The column_index_number part of the formula is the column from which the value is looking up is returned. So if you are looking for an exact match- make sure you enter the value FALSE in range_lookup. The example below shows Index Match being used to return information to the left of the column you are looking in. It is far more versatile and really opens up more potential in using Excel. But, using a combination of the INDEX and MATCH functions of Excel is a common alternative to VLOOKUP. The solution to this involves not using the VLOOKUP function. So first simple mistake users make not ensuring the info you have (lookup-value) is in the first column of data you’re looking at (table array) and the information you want to return is to the right. A lot of users will copy and paste columns to accommodate this rule. So, I am going to show with you my top 6 reasons that a novice VLOOKUP user finds their formula is not doing what they expected. range_lookup – TRUE = approximate match (default).col_index – The column in the table from which to retrieve a value.table – The table from which to retrieve a value.value – The value to look for in the first column of a table.VLOOKUP Formula Syntax Reminderīefore we move into my top 6 reasons for VLOOKUP not working let’s take a quick step back and have a quick refresher of the formula syntax. Here is an Excel tutorial to take you through some common issues. Whilst it is a great formula it is a bit sensitive and has its limitations but as long as you abide by the rules you should be fine. In particular, if there is not a more experienced Excel user around. There is an ah-hah moment when they work, but when they do not, it really frustrating especially for rookie users.

The VLOOKUP Excel formula or function is like a lightbulb going on when you ‘get them’ for most Excel users. Hello Excellers and welcome back on this sunny evening to another #Excel #FormulaFriday blog post in my 2019 series.
