Excel has been a popular spreadsheet software for decades, and it offers many features to help you manipulate and analyze data. One of these features is the ability to look up values in a table using either the VLOOKUP or XLOOKUP function. Both functions are useful for finding specific data within a table, but they have different strengths and limitations. In this tutorial, we will explain the differences between the VLOOKUP vs XLOOKUP functions and provide examples of how to use them.
VLOOKUP Function
The VLOOKUP function is a widely used formula in Excel that allows you to look up a value in a table and return a corresponding value in the same row. The basic syntax for the VLOOKUP function is:
=VLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num, [range_lookup])
The arguments of the VLOOKUP function are:
- lookup_value: The value that you want to look up in the table.
- table_array: The table that you want to search for the lookup value. This table must contain the lookup value in the leftmost column and the result you want to return in a column to the right of the lookup value.
- col_index_num: The column number in the table_array that contains the result you want to return. For example, if the result you want to return is in the third column of the table_array, the col_index_num argument should be 3.
- range_lookup: This argument is optional and can be either TRUE or FALSE. If range_lookup is TRUE (or omitted), the function will search for an approximate match to the lookup value. If range_lookup is FALSE, the function will only return an exact match to the lookup value.
Let’s take a look at an example of how to use the VLOOKUP function. Suppose we have a table that looks like this:
| ID | Name | Age | Gender |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John | 25 | Male |
| 2 | Jane | 30 | Female |
| 3 | Bob | 35 | Male |
| 4 | Mary | 40 | Female |
We want to look up the age of a person with a specific ID number. To do this, we can use the VLOOKUP function with the following formula:
=VLOOKUP(2, A2:D5, 3, FALSE)
In this formula, the lookup_value is 2 (the ID number we are looking for), the table_array is A2:D5 (the table we are searching), the col_index_num is 3 (the column that contains the age values), and the range_lookup is FALSE (we want an exact match to the lookup value). The formula returns the value “30”, which is the age of the person with ID number 2.
XLOOKUP Function
The XLOOKUP function is a relatively new addition to Excel (introduced in 2019) that offers more flexibility and power than the VLOOKUP function. The XLOOKUP function allows you to look up a value in a table and return a corresponding value in the same row or a different row. The basic syntax for the XLOOKUP function is:
=XLOOKUP(lookup_value, lookup_array, return_array, [if_not_found], [match_mode], [search_mode])
The arguments of the XLOOKUP function are:
- lookup_value: The value that you want to look up in the table.
- lookup_array: The array that you want to search for the lookup value. This array can be a single row or column, or it can be a range of cells that contains the lookup value.
- return_array: The array that contains the result you want to return. This array can be a single row or column, or it can be a range of cells that corresponds to the same size as the lookup_array.
- if_not_found: This argument is optional and can be either “0” or “1”. If the argument is “0” (or omitted), the function will return an error value if the lookup value is not found in the lookup_array. If the argument is “1”, the function will return a specified value (the fourth argument) if the lookup value is not found.
- match_mode: This argument is optional and can be “0”, “1”, or “-1”. If the argument is “0” (or omitted), the function will search for an exact match to the lookup value. If the argument is “1”, the function will search for the next largest value if an exact match is not found. If the argument is “-1”, the function will search for the next smallest value if an exact match is not found.
- search_mode: This argument is optional and can be “1” or “-1”. If the argument is “1” (or omitted), the function will search the lookup_array from left to right. If the argument is “-1”, the function will search the lookup_array from right to left.
Let’s take a look at an example of how to use the XLOOKUP function. Suppose we have a table that looks like this:
| Name | Age | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| John | 25 | Male |
| Jane | 30 | Female |
| Bob | 35 | Male |
| Mary | 40 | Female |
We want to look up the age of a person with a specific name. To do this, we can use the XLOOKUP function with the following formula:
=XLOOKUP("Jane", A2:A5, B2:B5)
In this formula, the lookup_value is “Jane” (the name we are looking for), the lookup_array is A2:A5 (the column that contains the names), and the return_array is B2:B5 (the column that contains the ages). The function will search for an exact match to the lookup value and return the corresponding value in the return_array. The formula returns the value “30”, which is the age of the person named “Jane”.
Comparison between VLOOKUP vs XLOOKUP
Now that we have seen examples of how to use the VLOOKUP vs XLOOKUP functions, let’s compare the two functions and see which one is better suited for different situations.
- Flexibility: The XLOOKUP function is more flexible than the VLOOKUP function. It allows you to return a corresponding value from a different row or column, and it can handle lookup values that are not in the leftmost column of the table.
- Speed: The XLOOKUP function is generally faster than the VLOOKUP function, especially for large datasets.
- Compatibility: The VLOOKUP function is compatible with older versions of Excel, while the XLOOKUP function is only available in newer versions (Excel 2019 and later).
- Ease of use: The VLOOKUP function is easier to use than the XLOOKUP function for simple lookup tasks. It has a simpler syntax and fewer arguments to specify.
In general, if you are working with a large dataset or need to return a corresponding value from a different row or column, the XLOOKUP function is the better choice. If you are working with a simple lookup task or need to be compatible with older versions of Excel, the VLOOKUP function is still a reliable option.
Conclusion
In this tutorial, we have explained the differences between the VLOOKUP and XLOOKUP