In Excel, you may often need to find a specific value and retrieve related data from adjacent cells. This can be particularly useful when working with large datasets where you need to quickly access information based on a keyword. In this article, we will explore how to efficiently return values beside a searched string in Excel using formulas, specifically VLOOKUP and INDEX & MATCH.
Problem Scenario
If you have a dataset where one column contains names, and you want to find the corresponding email address in another column based on a specific name, you might encounter a problem with this type of lookup. Here’s the original problem statement you might face:
=LOOKUP(A2, B:B, C:C)
In the above formula, A2 represents the searched string, B:B is the column with the searched values, and C:C is the column with the values you wish to return. However, this formula can be confusing and doesn’t always return the expected results.
Understanding the Problem
The challenge here is to properly fetch values from a column based on a matching entry in another column. The LOOKUP function might not yield the desired outcomes for all datasets because it searches for values in a sorted manner and may not work correctly with unsorted data. To solve this issue, we can use VLOOKUP or the combination of INDEX and MATCH, which are more robust and versatile for these kinds of tasks.
Using VLOOKUP
The VLOOKUP function can be used to look up a value in the leftmost column of a specified table array and return a value in the same row from a column you specify. Here’s how you can use it effectively:
VLOOKUP Formula
=VLOOKUP(A2, B:C, 2, FALSE)
- A2: This is the cell containing the name you are searching for.
- B:C: This represents the table array where column B has the names and column C has the corresponding email addresses.
- 2: This tells Excel to return the value from the second column of the table array (which is column C).
- FALSE: This specifies that you want an exact match for your search.
Example
Imagine you have a dataset like this:
| Name | |
|---|---|
| Alice | [email protected] |
| Bob | [email protected] |
| Charlie | [email protected] |
If you input Bob in cell A2, the formula =VLOOKUP(A2, B:C, 2, FALSE) will return [email protected].
Using INDEX and MATCH
For more flexibility, especially when dealing with larger datasets or when the column order doesn’t permit the use of VLOOKUP, you can use INDEX and MATCH.
INDEX and MATCH Formula
=INDEX(C:C, MATCH(A2, B:B, 0))
- INDEX(C:C, ...): This part tells Excel to return a value from column C.
- MATCH(A2, B:B, 0): This looks for the exact position of the value in A2 within column B and returns the row number.
Example
Using the same dataset as above, if you input Alice in cell A2, the formula =INDEX(C:C, MATCH(A2, B:B, 0)) will also return [email protected].
Conclusion
Using either the VLOOKUP or the INDEX and MATCH function allows you to return values adjacent to a searched string effectively. Depending on your specific requirements, one approach might be more suitable than the other. For beginners, VLOOKUP is often easier, while INDEX and MATCH offers greater flexibility.
Additional Resources
By mastering these functions, you can streamline your data analysis in Excel and improve your productivity. Don’t forget to practice these formulas with your own datasets to fully grasp their potential!
