What is the XLOOKUP Function in Excel?

Introduction

The XLOOKUP function offers a nice way to retrieve data from a range or an array from Excel; it’s a modern alternative for both HLOOKUP and VLOOKUP. It introduces advanced capabilities and significantly enhances user experience. This overview aims to explore the basics of utilizing XLOOKUP, highlight its benefits, and provide concrete examples to demonstrate how to harness its capabilities effectively.

Overview

• Understand the arguments of the XLOOKUP function along with the syntax.
• Learn the benefits of using XLOOKUP over traditional lookup functions.
• Explore practical examples of XLOOKUP in action.
• Gain insights into the uses of XLOOKUP.

XLOOKUP Syntax and Arguments

The basic syntax for the XLOOKUP:

XLOOKUP(lookup_value, lookup_array, return_array, [if_not_found], [match_mode], [search_mode])

Here is a breakdown of each argument:

• lookup_value: The value you want to search for.
• lookup_array: The range or array where you want to search for the lookup value.
• return_array: The range or array from which you want to return a value.
• [if_not_found]: Optional. The value to return if the lookup value is not found.
• [match_mode]: Optional. Specifies the type of match to perform:
  • 0: Exact match (default).
  • -1: Exact match or the next smaller item.
  • 1: Exact match or the next larger item.
  • 2: Wildcard match (allows the use of ‘*' for any number of characters and ‘?' for any single character)
• [search_mode]: Optional. Specifies the search mode to use:
  • 1: Search from first to last (default).
  • -1: Search from last to first.
  • 2: Binary search (lookup array must be sorted in ascending order).
  • -2: Binary search (lookup array must be sorted in descending order).

Benefits of Using XLOOKUP

1. Versatility: XLOOKUP can perform both vertical and horizontal lookups, eliminating the need for separate VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP functions.
2. No Column Index Requirement: Unlike VLOOKUP, which requires a column index number, XLOOKUP directly references the return array.
3. Error Handling: The [if_not_found] argument provides a straightforward way to handle errors and missing values.
4. Search Modes: XLOOKUP offers different search modes, including binary search for faster performance on sorted data.
5. Wildcard Support: Enhanced matching options with wildcards for flexible searches.

Practical Examples of XLOOKUP

Here are the practical examples of XLOOKUP:

Example 1: Basic XLOOKUP

Suppose you have a list of products and their prices in columns A and B, respectively. You want to find the price of a specific product.

Here is the Excel data:

To find the price of “Banana,” here’s the XLOOKUP formula:

=XLOOKUP("Banana", A2:A4, B2:B4)

Example 2: Handling Missing Values

If the lookup value is not found, you can specify a custom message, here’s the XLOOKUP formula:

=XLOOKUP("Orange", A2:A4, B2:B4, "Product not found")

Example 3: Using Wildcards

To search for a product that starts with “Ch”, here’s the XLOOKUP formula:

=XLOOKUP("Ch*", A2:A4, B2:B4, "Product not found", 2)

Example 4: Advanced Search Mode

If your data is sorted in descending order and you want to perform a binary search, here’s the XLOOKUP formula:

=XLOOKUP("Banana", A2:A4, B2:B4, "Product not found", 0, -2)

Also read: Microsoft Excel for Data Analysis

Conclusion

The XLOOKUP function represents a major improvement over conventional lookup functions in Excel. Its superior flexibility, robust error handling, and advanced search features make it an essential tool for data analysis and manipulation. Mastering XLOOKUP allows you to optimize your workflows and efficiently manage intricate lookup tasks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Mounish V

I'm a tech enthusiast, graduated from Vellore Institute of Technology. I'm working as a Data Science Trainee right now. I am very much interested in Deep Learning and Generative AI.