In Excel: use =VLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num, FALSE) — it finds a value in the leftmost column of a table and returns a value from a column to its right, with FALSE forcing an exact match.
Syntax
Arguments
| Argument | Description | |
|---|---|---|
lookup_value | required | The value to look for in the first column of the table. |
table_array | required | The range that holds the data, with the lookup column on the far left. |
col_index_num | required | The column number to return from, counted from the left of table_array (1 = first column). |
range_lookup | optional | FALSE for an exact match, TRUE or omitted for an approximate match on sorted data. |
Related functions
In the result cell type =VLOOKUP( and click the cell holding the value to find.
Select the whole table as table_array, making sure the lookup column is the leftmost one.
Count columns from the left of that range to the answer column and type that number as col_index_num.
Type FALSE as the fourth argument to force an exact match.
Press Enter and fill the formula down the column.
What this does
VLOOKUP searches down the first column of a table for a value, then returns whatever sits in the same row in a column you choose by number. It is the classic Excel lookup: you give it the value to find, the table, the column count, and a FALSE flag for an exact match. The catch is that it only looks to the right of the lookup column and you must count the return column yourself. Keep the inputs visible and clearly labelled and the whole thing stays auditable — anyone who opens the file later, including you, can see at a glance exactly what feeds the result and change one assumption without hunting through the formula. The difference between a quick fix and a sheet you can trust is the extra minute you spend validating “vlookup 2 sheets excel”. Start on a copy or a tiny sample, keep the affected sheet visible, and compare the result with the tool above before you touch the real workbook. When a formula is involved, keep the inputs labelled beside it, reference cells instead of typing values, and apply number formatting only after the result checks out. The point is a data step that keeps your analysis trustworthy, but the practical win is that someone else can open the file and understand what happened without asking you.
A worked example
Employee names are in A2:A100 and salaries in C2:C100, so the table spans A2:C100. To pull the salary for the name in E2: =VLOOKUP(E2, A2:C100, 3, FALSE). Column 3 is the salary column counted from A, and FALSE returns #N/A rather than a wrong row if the name is missing. For "Maria" in E2 this returns 54000. VLOOKUP is the most widely used lookup in Excel and works in every version, so it stays the go-to when a file must open in older Excel that lacks XLOOKUP. A practical tip before you scale it up: build it once on a small block of test data, confirm the number against the tool on this page, and only then point it at your real sheet. That one habit catches almost every mistake while it is still cheap to fix, long before a wrong figure reaches a report or a colleague.
In Google Sheets
If you are in Google Sheets rather than Excel, the good news is that the formula shown here is identical and the workflow barely changes — menus sit across the top instead of in a ribbon, and a few function names differ slightly, but anything you build here moves across with little or no rework. Keep this page bookmarked for the next time the same question comes up. Better still, rebuild the example once in your own sheet — doing it yourself, with the tool above to check against, is what turns a copied formula into a technique you own. The short version of “vlookup 2 sheets excel”: the answer is at the top of this page, the tool proves it on your own numbers, and the sections above explain why it holds so the next variation does not stump you. Excel rewards people who reference cells instead of typing values and who keep inputs separate from formulas, because that is what makes a result you can audit months later. Build it once, deliberately, with the live tool as a check, and you convert a one-off lookup into a reusable skill — which is the whole point of learning the why and not just the what.
Common mistakes
- Leaving off FALSE, so
VLOOKUPdoes an approximate match and returns the wrong row when the data is not sorted. - Counting col_index_num from the worksheet column A instead of from the left edge of table_array.
- Trying to return a value to the left of the lookup column —
VLOOKUPcan only look right, so useINDEX/MATCHorXLOOKUPinstead.
Frequently asked questions
Why does VLOOKUP return #N/A?
The lookup value was not found in the first column. Common causes are stray spaces (wrap the value in TRIM), numbers stored as text, or a lookup value that simply is not present. Wrapping the formula in IFERROR can replace #N/A with friendlier text.
Can VLOOKUP look to the left?
No. VLOOKUP only returns columns to the right of the lookup column. To pull a value from a column further left, use INDEX/MATCH or XLOOKUP, which search in any direction.
What does the FALSE at the end do?
FALSE forces an exact match. TRUE or an omitted fourth argument does an approximate match that requires the first column to be sorted ascending and can silently return a wrong row, so always add FALSE for normal lookups.
Other ways people ask this
Platform & version notes
- Several of those searches mention Google Sheets — and the good news is that "vlookup 2 sheets excel" works there almost identically: the formula syntax carries over unchanged, only the surrounding menus sit across the top of the screen instead of in a ribbon.
Can I do this in Google Sheets too?
Yes. "vlookup 2 sheets excel" carries over to Google Sheets with the same formula and almost the same steps — the menus are arranged differently, but the result is identical.