vlookup vs hlookup

lookup vs hlookup vs vlookup vs xlookup vs index match

I’d be happy to explain the differences between LOOKUP, HLOOKUP, VLOOKUP, XLOOKUP, and INDEX MATCH.

LOOKUP: LOOKUP is a function that allows you to find a value within a range of cells and return a corresponding value from an adjacent cell.

The function searches for the lookup value in the first column or row (depending on how the function is set up) of the table array and returns the corresponding value from the same row or column as specified by the column index number.

However, Microsoft has deprecated this function in favor of VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP functions.

HLOOKUP: HLOOKUP stands for horizontal lookup. It searches for a specific value in the top row of a table, and when it finds the matching value, it returns the value in the same column from a specified row below the top row.

For example, if you have a table with sales data for different products, with product names listed in the top row and sales figures listed below, you could use an HLOOKUP function to look up the sales figure for a specific product name.

VLOOKUP: VLOOKUP, on the other hand, stands for vertical lookup. It searches for a specific value in the leftmost column of a table, and when it finds the matching value, it returns the value in the same row from a specified column to the right of the leftmost column.

For example, if you have a table with employee information, with employee IDs listed in the leftmost column and corresponding names, department, and salary listed to the right, you could use a VLOOKUP function to look up the name, department, or salary for a specific employee ID.

XLOOKUP: XLOOKUP is a newer function introduced by Microsoft that allows you to perform both vertical and horizontal lookup operations, as well as more complex search operations.

It is more flexible than VLOOKUP or HLOOKUP, and can search for values based on multiple criteria, return arrays of results, and handle errors more effectively.

For example, with XLOOKUP you can search for a value in one column and return a corresponding value from another column, or search for a value across multiple columns and rows and return an array of matching results.

INDEX MATCH: INDEX MATCH is an alternative to VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP. Instead of looking up a value based on the position of a column or row, it uses the MATCH function to find the position of the lookup value within a specified range and then uses the INDEX function to return the corresponding value from a different range.

The advantage of using INDEX MATCH over VLOOKUP or HLOOKUP is that it can handle situations where the lookup value may not be in the first column or row of the table, or when you need to return a value from a range that is not adjacent to the lookup range.

It can also be easier to read and maintain than nested IF statements, which are sometimes used instead of VLOOKUP.

lookup vs hlookup vs vlookup vs xlookup vs index match example

here are some examples to illustrate the differences between LOOKUP, HLOOKUP, VLOOKUP, XLOOKUP, and INDEX MATCH.

LOOKUP:

Suppose you have the following table:

If you want to look up the price of a specific item, say “Cherry”, you could use the LOOKUP function like this: =LOOKUP("Cherry", A2:A5, B2:B5).

This would search for “Cherry” in the first column of the table array (A2:A5) and return the corresponding value from the second column (B2:B5), which is 2.00.

HLOOKUP:

Suppose you have a table like this:

If you want to find the sales figure for Q2 for “Oranges,” you could use the HLOOKUP function like this: =HLOOKUP("Oranges", A1:E4, 3, FALSE). This would search for “Oranges” in the top row of the table array (A1:E4) and return the corresponding value from the third row below the top row, which is 75.

VLOOKUP:

Suppose you have a table like this:

If you want to find the salary for employee ID 003, you could use the VLOOKUP function like this: =VLOOKUP(003, A2:D5, 4, FALSE).

This would search for 003 in the leftmost column of the table array (A2:D5) and return the corresponding value from the fourth column to the right of the leftmost column, which is 70000.

XLOOKUP:

Suppose you have a table like this:

If you want to look up the population of a specific city in a specific state, you could use the XLOOKUP function like this: =XLOOKUP("San Francisco", B2:B5 & "," & A2:A5, C2:C5).

This would concatenate the city name and state abbreviation into a single range to search (B2:B5 & “,” & A2:A5), and then search that range for “San Francisco,CA”. When it finds the match, it returns the corresponding population value from the third column of the table array, which is 800000.

INDEX MATCH:

Suppose you have a table like this:

If you want to find the age of the employee with name “Charlie,” you could use the INDEX MATCH function like this: =INDEX(C2:C5,MATCH("Charlie",B2:B5,0)).

This would search for “Charlie” in the second column of the table array (B2:B5) using the MATCH function and return the corresponding value from the third column (C2:C5) using the INDEX function, which is 27.

vlookup vs xlookup vs index match speed

In terms of speed, XLOOKUP and INDEX MATCH are generally faster than VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP, while the LOOKUP function is the slowest.

This is because VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP search for values sequentially, row by row or column by column, which can be time-consuming for large data sets.

Additionally, these functions may need to perform additional calculations to determine the correct result, such as sorting data in a specific order or ignoring duplicates.

In contrast, XLOOKUP and INDEX MATCH use more advanced search algorithms that can locate values more quickly, especially when searching across multiple columns or rows.

These functions can also handle non-contiguous ranges, arrays, and dynamic ranges more easily than VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP.

The LOOKUP function is the slowest of all these functions since it was deprecated by Microsoft and replaced by more efficient alternatives like VLOOKUP, HLOOKUP, XLOOKUP, and INDEX MATCH.

Overall, performance will depend on various factors like the size of the data set, the complexity of the search criteria, and the hardware and software configurations used.

However, in general, XLOOKUP and INDEX MATCH tend to offer faster results than VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP, while the LOOKUP function should be avoided due to its inefficiency.

How to use vlookup and hlookup together

The VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP functions are often used together to create a more powerful lookup formula. This combination is sometimes referred to as a “matrix lookup” or “two-way lookup”.

The basic idea behind a VLOOKUP/HLOOKUP combo is to use both functions to search for a specific value in a table that has both row and column headers, and return the corresponding value from the intersection of the row and column that contain the target value.

Here’s an example:

Suppose you have a table of products with their prices across different regions, like this:

If you want to look up the price of “Cherry” in the “West” region, you could use the following formula:

=VLOOKUP("Cherry", A2:E4, MATCH("West", A1:E1, 0), FALSE).

Here’s how the formula works:

• The MATCH function searches for the column header “West” within the range A1:E1 and returns its position, which is 2.
• The VLOOKUP function then searches for the row header “Cherry” within the range A2:A4 and returns the corresponding value from the second column to the right (i.e., column 3), which is 2.50.

As a result, the formula returns 2.50 as the price of “Cherry” in the “West” region.

Similarly, you can use an HLOOKUP function along with a VLOOKUP function to create a two-way lookup. The only difference is that the HLOOKUP searches for the row header instead of the column header, and the MATCH function returns the row position instead of the column position.

Here’s an example:

Suppose you have a table like this:

If you want to look up the price of “Cherry” in the “West” region, you can use this formula:

=HLOOKUP("Cherry", A1:D4, MATCH("West", A1:A4, 0), FALSE)

This formula works as follows:

• The MATCH function looks for the row header “West” within the range A1:A4 and returns its position, which is 2.
• The HLOOKUP function then searches for the column header “Cherry” within the range A1:D1 (i.e., the first row of the table array) and returns the corresponding value from the second row below the top row (i.e., row 3), which is 2.50.

As a result, the formula returns 2.50 as the price of “Cherry” in the “West” region.

By combining VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP, you can perform more complex lookups on tables that have both row and column headers, providing greater flexibility and accuracy in your analysis.

vlookup hlookup pivot table

VLOOKUP, HLOOKUP, and pivot tables are all powerful tools in Excel for analyzing and manipulating data. Here’s an overview of how each of these functions can be used:

VLOOKUP: The VLOOKUP function is a lookup function that allows you to find a specific value in the leftmost column of a table, and then return a corresponding value from a specified column to the right of the leftmost column. This function is useful for looking up data based on a unique identifier, such as an ID number or product name.

For example, if you have a table of sales data with customer names in the first column and corresponding sales figures in the second column, and you want to know the sales figure for a specific customer, you can use VLOOKUP to look up the customer’s name in the leftmost column and return the corresponding sales figure from the second column.

HLOOKUP: The HLOOKUP function is similar to VLOOKUP, but it searches for a specific value in the top row of a table, and then returns a corresponding value from a specified row below the top row. This function is useful for looking up data based on a specific attribute, such as a quarter or region.

For example, if you have a table of sales data with product names in the first column and corresponding sales figures for each quarter in the top row, you can use HLOOKUP to look up the sales figure for a specific product in a specific quarter by searching for the product name in the first column and the quarter in the top row.

Pivot Tables: A pivot table is a powerful tool in Excel that allows you to summarize and analyze large amounts of data quickly and easily. Pivot tables enable you to create customized views of your data by organizing and summarizing it into a more manageable format.

For example, if you have a table of sales data with customer names, product names, and corresponding sales figures, you can use pivot tables to group the data by customer, product, or any other attribute. This allows you to quickly identify trends, patterns, and outliers.

Pivot tables also allow you to perform calculations on the summarized data, such as summing or averaging sales figures, and display the results in a variety of formats, such as tables, charts, or graphs.

Overall, VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP are great for looking up specific values in a table, while pivot tables provide a more flexible and powerful way to analyze and summarize large amounts of data. By mastering all three tools, you can become a more efficient and effective data analyst in Excel.

what is vlookup vs hlookup functionality

VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP are both Excel functions used for searching a table to find specific data.

The VLOOKUP function is used to look up a value in the leftmost column of a table, and then return a corresponding value from a specified column to the right of the leftmost column. This function is useful for looking up data based on a unique identifier, such as an ID number or product name.

For example, if you have a table of employee data with employee ID numbers in the first column and corresponding employee names in the second column, and you want to know the name of a specific employee, you can use VLOOKUP to look up the employee’s ID number in the first column and return the corresponding name from the second column.

The HLOOKUP function is similar to VLOOKUP, but it searches for a specific value in the top row of a table, and then returns a corresponding value from a specified row below the top row. This function is useful for looking up data based on a specific attribute, such as a quarter or region.

For example, if you have a table of sales data with product names in the first column and corresponding sales figures for each quarter in the top row, you can use HLOOKUP to look up the sales figure for a specific product in a specific quarter by searching for the product name in the first column and the quarter in the top row.

In summary, VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP are both powerful tools that allow you to quickly search a table for specific data. The main difference between the two functions is that VLOOKUP searches for data in the leftmost column of a table, while HLOOKUP searches for data in the top row of a table.

when would you use an hlookup instead of a vlookup

You would use an HLOOKUP instead of a VLOOKUP when you want to search for data based on a specific attribute that is located in the top row of a table, rather than the leftmost column.

For example, let’s say you have a table with sales data for different products, broken down by quarter. The product names are listed in the first column, and the quarters (Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4) are listed in the top row. You want to look up the sales figures for a specific product in a specific quarter. In this case, you would use HLOOKUP because you want to search for the quarter name in the top row of the table.

Here’s how you could use HLOOKUP to do this:

1. Select the cell where you want to display the result of the lookup.
2. Type =HLOOKUP( into the formula bar.
3. Enter the value you want to search for (e.g., the name of the product) in the first argument of the function.
4. Enter the range of cells that contains the table data (excluding the top row) in the second argument of the function.
5. Enter the row number (relative to the range specified in step 4) that contains the value you want to return in the third argument of the function.
6. Enter FALSE or 0 as the fourth argument of the function to specify an exact match.

For example, if you want to look up the sales figures for “Product A” in Q2, and your table is located in cells A1:E5, you would use the following formula:

=HLOOKUP("Q2", A1:E5, MATCH("Product A", A1:A5, 0), FALSE)

This formula will search the top row of the table for “Q2”, and then return the value from the row that matches “Product A” in the leftmost column.

In summary, you would use HLOOKUP instead of VLOOKUP when the attribute you want to search for is located in the top row of a table, rather than the leftmost column.

when to use vlookup and hlookup

You would use VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP in Excel when you want to search for specific data in a table. The choice between the two functions depends on where the data you are looking for is located in the table.

Use VLOOKUP:

• when you want to look up a value based on a unique identifier, such as an ID number or product name, that is located in the leftmost column of a table.
• when the value you want to return is located to the right of the column that contains the unique identifier.

For example, if you have a table of employee data with employee ID numbers in the first column and corresponding employee names, departments, and salaries in the following columns, and you want to know the salary of a specific employee, you can use VLOOKUP to look up the employee’s ID number in the first column and return the corresponding salary from one of the following columns.

Use HLOOKUP:

• when you want to look up a value based on a specific attribute, such as a quarter or region, that is located in the top row of a table.
• when the value you want to return is located below the row that contains the specific attribute.

For example, if you have a table of sales data with product names in the first column and corresponding sales figures for each quarter in the top row, and you want to know the sales figure of a specific product in a specific quarter, you can use HLOOKUP to look up the quarter name in the top row and return the corresponding sales figure from one of the rows below it.

In summary, use VLOOKUP when the lookup value is located in the leftmost column of the table, and use HLOOKUP when the lookup value is located in the top row of the table.

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