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. Most people learn this as a sequence of clicks and forget it by next week; learning it as a pattern instead is what lets you apply it to the next, slightly different version of the problem without starting from scratch. That is the difference this page is trying to make. Treat “vlookup excel with dates on other work sheets” as a small repeatable workflow rather than a one-off click you hope to remember next time. Use a small test block before the live file, so any surprise in the affected sheet shows up while it is still harmless. 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. That turns a data step that keeps your analysis trustworthy into a method you can reuse, explain, and defend when the workbook leaves your screen.
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. If there is any chance you will reuse this, drop it into a small template tab right now: a labelled input area on the left and the formula beside it, checked once against the tool above. Next time the same question comes up, the answer is a single paste away instead of a rebuild from memory.
In Google Sheets
Google Sheets handles this almost identically to Excel. The formula syntax above is the same, and the menu lives under a slightly different label rather than a ribbon tab. Use the platform toggle at the top of the page to switch every keyboard shortcut between Windows and Mac, and expect at most cosmetic differences in naming. The aim was to get you unstuck fast and leave you a little more capable than a copy-paste would. The answer is at the top, the tool proves it, and the detail above shows why it holds — so the next time a colleague asks, you can answer without reaching for search. Treat “vlookup excel with dates on other work sheets” as a small building block rather than a chore. Once the inputs sit in their own cells and the formula reads from them, the same setup answers a dozen related questions with a tweak, and Excel keeps every dependent figure current as the data changes. The tool above is there so you can rehearse and verify before committing anything to a real workbook; the steps and worked example are there so the logic sticks. Get it right once and it stops costing you time — it starts saving it, every time the question comes back around.
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.