VLOOKUP
Every VLOOKUP guide, error fix, and modern alternative in one place — basic syntax, multi-criteria, cross-sheet lookups, and the #N/A failures everyone hits.
17 pages · 1 reference, 13 how-to, 3 error fix
Reference
How-to guides
How to VLOOKUP from another sheet
Pull a value from a different tab with VLOOKUP by prefixing the range with the sheet name. Works in Excel and Google Sheets.
How to VLOOKUP with multiple criteria
Look up a value that matches two or more conditions using INDEX/MATCH with joined keys. Works in Excel 365 and Google Sheets.
How to fix VLOOKUP returning #N/A
VLOOKUP shows #N/A when it can’t find a match. Here are the real causes — exact-match, spaces, text-vs-number — and how to fix each.
XLOOKUP vs VLOOKUP: which to use
XLOOKUP looks in any direction, defaults to exact match, and has a built-in not-found value. Here is when to use each over VLOOKUP.
How to combine ARRAYFORMULA with VLOOKUP
Apply a VLOOKUP to an entire column at once using ARRAYFORMULA in Google Sheets or spill arrays in Excel 365.
Excel ≠ SheetsINDEX MATCH vs VLOOKUP: which is better in Excel and Sheets
Compare INDEX MATCH and VLOOKUP to decide which lookup method fits your needs in Excel and Google Sheets.
VLOOKUP vs HLOOKUP: vertical vs horizontal lookups
Understand when to use VLOOKUP for column-based lookups vs HLOOKUP for row-based lookups, and why XLOOKUP is now preferred in Excel and Sheets.
How to return multiple values with VLOOKUP
Use multiple VLOOKUP formulas with different column index numbers, or INDEX MATCH, to retrieve several fields for a single lookup value.
How to do a reverse (left) lookup
Use INDEX and MATCH to look up a value and return data from a column to its left — something VLOOKUP cannot do.
How to combine VLOOKUP with IF
Wrap VLOOKUP inside IF to return a custom value when the lookup fails or to apply logic to the returned result before displaying it.
How to write a nested VLOOKUP
Use a VLOOKUP inside another VLOOKUP to chain two lookups when the result of the first determines where the second lookup should search.
How to use VLOOKUP across multiple sheets
Reference another sheet in the VLOOKUP table_array argument using SheetName! notation to look up data stored on a different tab.
How to use VLOOKUP with a wildcard
Use asterisk (*) or question mark (?) wildcards in VLOOKUP's lookup value to match partial text, with exact match mode (FALSE) required.
Error fixes
Fix #N/A
Fix #N/A errors in VLOOKUP in Excel and Google Sheets — covers missing matches, extra spaces, data-type mismatches, and range mistakes.
Fix Wrong value
VLOOKUP returns an incorrect value in Excel and Google Sheets — fix wrong column index, approximate match mode, unsorted data, and duplicate lookup keys.
Fix VLOOKUP
VLOOKUP not working in Excel and Google Sheets — diagnose formula errors, wrong syntax, range issues, and when to switch to a better alternative.