The VLOOKUP formula in Google Sheets makes it easy to find certain information in tables with a lot of information. VLOOKUP, also called SEARCH V in Google Sheets in Spanish, searches in a column? Vertically, from top to bottom? cells and associated values that you want. Thanks to this vertical reference function , you can quickly find relevant information even in large directories. Next, we will explain, with the help of examples, how to use the formula correctly..
Spreadsheet programs offer users many benefits to speed up working with tables. Professional users know very practical formulas that make working with Excel or Google Sheets even more comfortable and efficient. Among them, VLOOKUP (VLOOKUP) allows you to quickly find information and values within large directories and tables. But how exactly do you use VLOOKUP?
This function also exists in the well-known Microsoft spreadsheet program. VLOOKUP in Excel works similar to Google's variant.
Suppose you have a large directory with customer names, their numbers and their addresses . A column has been added to each customer entry that includes the product category of your online store from which that customer purchases items most frequently. You have a call scheduled with the customer and you want to quickly see what category of product is assigned to them. Using the customer number and the VLOOKUP formula, in Google Sheets you can find the corresponding value for the search criteria without having to go through the entire list looking for the information..
As with any other formula, you have to know how to apply VLOOKUP. If the formula is not entered correctly, Google Sheets will not be able to automatically search for the desired values. The VLOOKUP formula has the following structure:
=BUSCARV(valor_búsqueda, rango, índice, [está_ordenada])
The ? Search value? It is the value you are looking for. In ? Range? defines the section of the table in which the value should be searched. With? Index? the place in the table that contains the return value of the search is named. The index is indicated in the formula as a single figure. If the search value is in column C and you are looking for the corresponding value in column F, the index should indicate 3, since column F is 3 columns away from column C.
In the Google tables application it is not relevant if the English term? VLOOKUP? or in Spanish? VLOOKUP ?: Depending on the language settings of the Google account, the software will change the name automatically..
The optional supplement? [is_ordered] ? defines whether the column to be searched is ordered or not. If the column is unordered, "FALSE" is used, and if it is preordered, the appropriate option would be "TRUE". If the parameter is left empty, Google Sheets automatically uses? TRUE ?. Although the setting is optional, it is decisive for the result:
Let's take this example of VLOOKUP in Google Sheets:
=BUSCARV(A10;A2:C10;3;FALSO)
With this formula, Google Sheets is asked to perform a vertical search in the column that is three columns away from column A. In the table section, it searches from A2 to C10. The lookup value has been entered in cell A10. Google Sheets should return the corresponding value from column C.
We can see the operation more clearly with a real example of VLOOKUP. For this we will use the following table as a starting data set:
Step 1 . Place at any point below or next to the table another table that you will use to find information: just enter? Search value? and? Result? as headings. Enter in the first cell of the column? Search Value? the value of the cell on which you want to find results.
Step 2 . Enter the formula VLOOKUP in the place where you want to get the result of your search. In our example, this is the B12 field. We therefore introduce the following formula here:
=BUSCARV(A12;$A$2:$E$6;5;FALSO)
Step 3 . The result is then displayed? Fashion? in the column where you entered the formula VLOOKUP.
Step 4 . Now you can enter any customer number from column A as the lookup value. Adapt the formula to the corresponding location or click on the result field? Books? and drag the small blue rectangle down to the bottom cell. In this way, the formula adapts automatically and gives the desired result.