Master VLOOKUP in Excel - Step-by-Step Guide with Real-Life Examples!

 

🔥 Step-by-Step Guide to VLOOKUP in Excel 🔥

🚀 A Practical Tutorial for Excel Users 📊

Definition of VLOOKUP

VLOOKUP (Vertical Lookup) is an Excel function that searches for a value in the first column of a table and returns a corresponding value from another column in the same row.

 

🎯 Question (Problem Statement)

Imagine you have an inventory list with different materials, their quantities, buy prices, and sell prices. You need to find the Quantity and Buy Price of an item just by typing its name in a separate section. How can you do this automatically without searching manually?

VLOOKUP Formulas
Sr.No	Item	Quantity	Buy Price	Sell Price
1	Steel Rod	10	50	70			Item	Quantity	Buy Price
2	Copper Wire	12	30	25			Steel Rod
3	Aluminum	15	40	55
4	Iron Sheet	45	60	50
5	Brass Pipe	42	80	100
6	Wooden Plank	23	25	45
7	Glass Panel	45	90	85
8	Plastic Sheet	25	15	25
9	Rubber Tube	45	35	55

 

 

🔍 Example Using VLOOKUP

We will use VLOOKUP to search for an item and return its Quantity and Buy Price.

 

📌 Step-by-Step Real-Time VLOOKUP Application

🔹 Step 1: Identify the Lookup Value

Decide which value you are searching for. Example: We want to search for Steel Rod (entered in I7).

[On-Screen: Highlight I7 (the lookup cell)]

 

🔹 Step 2: Define the Table Range

Select the table that contains the data.

Example: The range is C5:F14, which includes Item, Quantity, Buy Price, and Sell Price.

[On-Screen: Draw a box around the table]

 

🔹 Step 3: Specify the Column Index

Decide which column contains the result you need:
✅   Quantity is in column **2**
✅   Buy Price is in column **3**

[On-Screen: Label each column as 1, 2, 3, 4]

 

 

 

🔹 Step 4: Use the VLOOKUP Formula

 

Arguments:

• lookup_value – The value to search for in the first column of the table.
• table_array – The range of cells containing the data (must include the column where the result is retrieved from).
• col_index_num – The column number (starting from 1) from which to return the value.
• range_lookup – (Optional) TRUE for an approximate match, FALSE for an exact match.

 

**To find Quantity:**
=VLOOKUP(I7, C5:F14, 2, 0)


**To find Buy Price:**
=VLOOKUP(I7, C5:F14, 3, 0)

Each formula consists of:
* Lookup Value (I7)
* Table Range (C5:F14)
* Column Index (2 for Quantity, 3 for Buy Price)
* Exact Match (0)

[On-Screen: Show the formula being typed and the result appearing instantly]

🔹 Step 5: Test with Different Items

Change the item name in I7 and see how the values update automatically.

[On-Screen: Change 'Steel Rod' to 'Brass Pipe']

 

 

 

 

✅    Why Use VLOOKUP?

🚀 Saves time – No need to search manually.
🎯 Prevents errors – Always finds the correct values.
📊 Works on large datasets – Useful for inventory and reports.

💡 Challenge for Viewers!

Now, try using VLOOKUP to find the **Sell Price** of an item!

💡 **Hint:** Modify the formula to return data from column **4**.

[On-Screen: Show a text box with the challenge]

 

Where VLOOKUP is Used (Short & Simple)

1.     Employee Records – Fetch salaries, designations, departments.

2.     Sales & Inventory – Retrieve product prices, stock levels.

3.     School & Exams – Assign grades based on marks.

4.     Invoices & Billing – Auto-fill product details in invoices.

5.     Data Validation – Check if values exist in a database.

6.     Financial Reports – Lookup expenses, revenues, tax rates.

7.     Customer Service – Retrieve customer details from a database.

 

 

 

 

 

📌 YouTube Video Description (SEO-Optimized)

🔥 **Master VLOOKUP in Excel with Real-Time Practical Examples!** 🔥

🚀 Want to find data instantly in Excel? Stop searching manually and start using **VLOOKUP**! In this **step-by-step tutorial**, you'll learn how to use VLOOKUP to search for items in a table and return values like **Quantity, Buy Price, and Sell Price**—all **automatically**!

📊 **What You’ll Learn in This Video:**
✅ **What is VLOOKUP & How It Works**
✅ **Step-by-Step Real-Time Examples**
✅ **How to Find Quantity, Buy Price & Sell Price**
✅ **Common VLOOKUP Errors & How to Fix Them**
✅ **Bonus Challenge for You!**

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