Perform VLookup Function in Excel
- In your destination spreadsheet (the spreadsheet where you want the data to go to), select the top cell in the column you wish to populate information with VLookup in, and type, “=vlookup(” into the formula bar.
- VLookup requires four arguments to work. The first argument is the look up value, which is the data that you already know. Select the cell with the data you wish to search with and type, “:”.
- Scroll down to the bottom of the spreadsheet, hold “shift” key and select the last cell in the same column then type, “,”.
- The second argument is table array, which is where you want to search for the information you wish to import. The caveat is the column with the information you are searching with must be on the left side. Go to the source spreadsheet (the spreadsheet with the information you wish to pull from) and select the first cells.
- Scroll all of the way down, hold the “Shift” key, select the last cells, then type, “,”.
- The third argument is column lookup, which asks which column in the source spreadsheet contains the data you’d like to import into the destination spreadsheet. Count the columns you’ve selected from left to right and type, “[column number: 2, 3, 4, etc.],”.
- The fourth and final argument is range look up, which is either true for partial matches or false for exact matches. Type, “< TRUE or FALSE >)” and press “Enter” key.
- When you return to the destination spreadsheet, you will see the cell with the information you wanted to import has been populated.
- Select the green square on the bottom right, drag it all of the way to the bottom of the spreadsheet, then let go to populate the rest of the column.
