How to Use the LOOKUP Function in Excel

Summary: Delve into the versatile functionality of the LOOKUP function in Microsoft Excel—a powerful tool for searching and retrieving values from a range. By mastering this function, you can efficiently locate and extract specific values based on search criteria. The LOOKUP function within Excel empowers you to search for a value within a range and return a corresponding value from another range.


Step 1: Open Excel

  • Launch Microsoft Excel on your computer.
  • Choose the cell where you want to display the result of the LOOKUP function.

Step 2: Input the Formula

  • Enter the following syntax into the selected cell:

    =LOOKUP(lookup_value, lookup_range, [result_range])

  • Replace "lookup_value" with the value you want to search for, "lookup_range" with the range where you want to search, and [result_range] with the optional range from which to retrieve the corresponding value.
  • After inputting the LOOKUP function syntax, press the Enter key to execute it.
  • The column you're searching MUST be in ascending order or it will NOT work!
Using the LOOKUP() function in Excel

Conclusion: By mastering the LOOKUP function in Excel, you can efficiently search for values within ranges and retrieve corresponding data, making data analysis and decision-making processes more streamlined. This tool is particularly valuable when you need to extract specific information based on certain criteria. Should you have any questions or insights, feel free to reach out, fostering further exploration of this topic. The LOOKUP function enhances your ability to efficiently retrieve data based on specific search criteria.*

Previous
Previous

How to Use the MATCH Function in Excel

Next
Next

How to Use the INDIRECT Function in Excel