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How to Use LOOKUP Function in Excel: A Step-by-Step Guide

Monday, June 2nd 2025. | Excel

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Learn how to use the LOOKUP function in Excel to search for values in a range or array. Perfect for beginners and professionals in the USA.

What Is the LOOKUP Function in Excel?

The LOOKUP function in Excel is a versatile tool used to search for a value in a row or column and return a corresponding value from another row or column. It’s one of the original lookup functions, predating VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP, and is still useful for certain scenarios.

There are two forms of LOOKUP:

Vector form: Looks up a value in a one-dimensional range (row or column)
Array form: Looks up a value in a two-dimensional array and returns a value from the same position in another row or column

Formula syntax for vector form:

=LOOKUP(lookup_value, lookup_vector, [result_vector])

How Does LOOKUP Work?

LOOKUP searches for the lookup_value in the lookup_vector. If an exact match isn’t found, it matches the largest value less than or equal to the lookup_value (assuming data is sorted).

Simple LOOKUP Example

Suppose you have the following data in column A and B:

A       | B
--------|------------
10      | Ten
20      | Twenty
30      | Thirty

To find the word for 20, use:

=LOOKUP(20, A1:A3, B1:B3)

This will return: Twenty

When to Use LOOKUP in the U.S.

LOOKUP is handy in situations where your data is sorted and you want a fast approximate match. It’s often used in:

Financial models
Grading systems
Basic reporting

LOOKUP vs VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP

LOOKUP requires sorted data and returns approximate matches by default
VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP can return exact matches but are less flexible in lookup direction
LOOKUP supports both vertical and horizontal lookups depending on vector or array form

Common Errors and How to Fix Them

#N/A: Lookup value smaller than the smallest value in lookup_vector
Incorrect ranges for lookup_vector and result_vector
Unsorted lookup_vector leading to wrong results

Tips for Better LOOKUP Results

Make sure your lookup_vector is sorted ascending
Use LOOKUP when you want approximate matches, not exact
Consider newer functions like XLOOKUP for more flexibility

Conclusion

The LOOKUP function in Excel is a classic and simple way to search for data in sorted lists. While newer functions offer more features, LOOKUP remains useful for quick approximate matching tasks in many U.S. industries.

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