VLOOKUP is a handy function in Excel that allows you to search for a value in the first column of a table and return a value in the same row from another column. But what if you want to retrieve the second value instead of the first one in VLOOKUP? Let’s find out how you can do that.
To get the second value in VLOOKUP, you simply need to change the column index number in the formula. By default, the column index number in VLOOKUP is set to 1, which corresponds to the first column in the table. To retrieve the second value, you just need to change the column index number to 2. This tells Excel to return the value from the second column in the table instead of the first one.
Here is the basic syntax of the VLOOKUP formula:
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=VLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num, [range_lookup])
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To get the second value using VLOOKUP, your formula should look something like this:
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=VLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, **2**, [range_lookup])
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Make sure to adjust the lookup value, table array, and range lookup parameters according to your specific data. By changing the col_index_num to 2 in the formula, you can easily retrieve the second value in VLOOKUP.
Now that you know how to get the second value in VLOOKUP, let’s address some related FAQs:
1. Can I use VLOOKUP to retrieve values from columns other than the first and second?
Yes, you can. By changing the col_index_num parameter in the VLOOKUP formula, you can retrieve values from any column in the table.
2. What happens if the specified col_index_num is greater than the number of columns in the table_array?
If the col_index_num is greater than the number of columns in the table array, Excel will return a #REF! error indicating that the reference is invalid.
3. Is it possible to get the third value in VLOOKUP?
Yes, you can retrieve the third value by changing the col_index_num to 3 in the VLOOKUP formula.
4. Can VLOOKUP be used to search for values in rows instead of columns?
No, VLOOKUP is designed to search for values in the first column of a table and return values from other columns in the same row.
5. What is the purpose of the range_lookup parameter in the VLOOKUP formula?
The range_lookup parameter specifies whether you want an exact or approximate match for the lookup value. Set it to FALSE for an exact match and TRUE for an approximate match.
6. Is VLOOKUP case-sensitive?
Yes, by default VLOOKUP is case-insensitive. If you want to perform a case-sensitive lookup, you can use the EXACT function in combination with VLOOKUP.
7. Can VLOOKUP be used to search for values in multiple columns?
No, VLOOKUP can only search for values in the first column of the table_array.
8. What should I do if the lookup value is not found in the first column?
If the lookup value is not found in the first column, VLOOKUP will return a #N/A error. You can use the IFNA function to display a custom message instead.
9. Can I use VLOOKUP to search for values in a different worksheet?
Yes, you can reference a different worksheet in the table_array parameter of the VLOOKUP formula to search for values in another sheet.
10. Is it possible to use VLOOKUP with wildcard characters?
Yes, you can combine VLOOKUP with wildcard characters like * and ? to perform partial matches in the lookup value.
11. What is the maximum number of characters that VLOOKUP can search for?
VLOOKUP can search for a maximum of 255 characters in the lookup value parameter.
12. Can I use VLOOKUP to search for values in a sorted range?
Yes, VLOOKUP works best with sorted ranges as it can perform a faster search using the approximate match option.