Short Answer:

To perform a vertical lookup using XLOOKUP in Excel, you select the value you want to search for, the column where Excel should look for it, and the column from which to return the result. For example, =XLOOKUP(102, A2:A10, C2:C10, “Not Found”) searches for 102 in column A and returns the corresponding value from column C.

XLOOKUP makes vertical lookups easier than VLOOKUP because it does not require the lookup value to be in the first column. It also allows exact matches by default and lets you handle missing values with a custom message, making data retrieval more accurate and efficient.

Detailed Explanation:

Performing Vertical Lookup Using XLOOKUP

XLOOKUP is a modern Excel function that replaces VLOOKUP for more flexible data searches. A vertical lookup searches for a value in a column and returns a corresponding value from another column in the same row.

1. XLOOKUP Syntax for Vertical Lookup
   The formula for vertical lookup using XLOOKUP is:
   =XLOOKUP(lookup_value, lookup_array, return_array, [if_not_found], [match_mode], [search_mode])

• lookup_value – The value you want to find (e.g., a student ID or product code).
• lookup_array – The column where Excel searches for the value.
• return_array – The column from which to return the corresponding result.
• if_not_found – Optional. Specifies what to display if the value is not found.
• match_mode – Optional. 0 for exact match (default), -1 for exact or next smaller, 1 for exact or next larger.
• search_mode – Optional. 1 to search from first to last (default), -1 for last to first.

2. Steps to Perform Vertical Lookup

1. Identify the value you want to find in your data.
2. Select the column (lookup_array) where the value exists.
3. Select the column (return_array) from which you want to retrieve information.
4. Type the XLOOKUP formula in a cell.
5. Press Enter, and Excel returns the corresponding value.

3. Example of Vertical Lookup
   Suppose you have a table with Student IDs in column A, Names in column B, and Scores in column C. To find the score of a student with ID 102:
   =XLOOKUP(102, A2:A10, C2:C10, “Not Found”)

• Excel searches column A for 102.
• Returns the score from column C in the same row.
• If 102 is not found, displays “Not Found.”

4. Advantages over VLOOKUP

• Lookup value can be in any column, not just the first.
• Returns exact matches by default.
• Handles missing values with custom messages using [if_not_found].
• Can search from last to first using [search_mode].
• Simplifies formulas because no column index number is needed.

5. Practical Uses

1. Retrieve employee salaries based on ID.
2. Find product prices in an inventory list.
3. Get student grades from a list using ID or name.
4. Match project codes to status or completion percentage.

XLOOKUP makes vertical lookups faster, more accurate, and less error-prone than VLOOKUP. It works for both small and large datasets and reduces the complexity of formulas in Excel.

Conclusion:

Performing a vertical lookup using XLOOKUP involves specifying the value to find, the column to search, and the column to return results from. It is more flexible and efficient than VLOOKUP because it allows exact matches by default, handles missing values, and does not require the lookup value to be in the first column. Vertical lookups with XLOOKUP simplify data retrieval and improve accuracy in Excel.