How to Unravel VLOOKUP

Consulting / Systemising / Training© 101 SystemWorks Ltd 2015

Take a VLOOK at this!

Clients often ask me to unravel Excel’s

VLOOKUP function for them. So this webinar will

aim to do that and also I will show you a few

other functions that can be useful in business

spreadsheets. The functions I choose are handy

but can be a bit tricky to get the right answer

unless you are fully aware of the pitfalls. Tune in

and take a VLOOK …

“Les is more!”


101 SystemWorks Ltd

Consulting / Systemising / Training

Database, Spreadsheet and

Microsoft Office Training Specialists


Les Gutteridge

Dazzling Databases

Sparkling Spreadsheets

Magical Macros

Terrific Training

Saving Time (Money) for your

business / your team. Guaranteed!


Welcome to Today’s Webinar

Take a VLOOK at this!Useful Excel functions to aid your work


Webinar Content

VLOOKUP function

COUNTIF & SUMIF functions

COUNTIFS & SUMIFS functions

MATCH, INDEX & INDEX MATCH together

ARRAY formulas

SUMPRODUCT function


VLOOKUP function

WHAT –are you looking up?

WHERE –precisely is the LU table?

WHICH –column of LU table holds answer?

HOW –nearest or exact mode for LU?


COUNTIF function

Purpose?Count cells matching a single criteria

What type of answer calculated?A whole number

Syntax?

=COUNTIF (range, criteria)

Things to remember Enclose text or maths symbols with “ ”


SUMIF function

Purpose?Sum cells matching a single criteria

What type of answer calculated?Depends on data

Syntax?=SUMIF (range, criteria, [sum_range])

Things to remember Enclose text or maths symbols with “ ”


COUNTIFS function

Purpose?

Count cells matching multiple criteria


Syntax?=COUNTIFS (range1, criteria1,

[range2], [criteria2], ...)

Things to remember All ranges need same # rows and columns


SUMIFS function

Purpose?

Sum cells matching multiple criteria


Syntax?= SUMIFS(sum_range , range1, criteria1,

[range2], [criteria2], ...)

Things to remember All ranges need same # rows and columns


MATCH function

Purpose?Find row/col position of an item

What type of answer calculated?

A whole number representing position

Syntax?

=MATCH (LU value, LU array, [MatchType])

Things to remember MatchType: 0=exact, ±1=closest below/above


INDEX function

Purpose?

Get value from range in row R [& col C]


Depends on data

Syntax?

=INDEX (LU array, row R, [col C])

Things to remember

The arguments in [ ] are optional


INDEX MATCH together

Purpose?

Great alternative to VLOOKUP (better?)


Like VLOOKUP gets the value from LU table

Syntax?

=INDEX(which, MATCH(what, where, how))

Things to remember

Also INDEX(MATCH, MATCH) does a 2D LU


ARRAY formulas

Purpose?

Calculate single answer from a table


Depends on data & formula

Syntax Eg?

{=SUM(B6:B15*C6:C15)}

Things to remember

Magic key press “CSE” Ctlrl+Shift+Enter


SUMPRODUCT function

Purpose?

Multiply arrays then find grand total


Depends on numeric data

Syntax?

=SUMPRODUCT (array1, [array2], ...)

Things to remember

Use up to 30 arrays without “CSE”


Thank you for your

attention!

Any questions?


on [email protected] to tell me:

How you got on today …

2 Golden Nuggets that you will use ...

Other MS Office 4Sights that would

be useful to you …

Email me, please


Don’t forget that


BizSmart aims to help business owners of small and medium sized businesses to create value and scale their businesses through sound practical business support by providing insight, Clarity combined with a real determination to help you succeed.

You can access webinars and presentations like this and more besides through our SmartRoom service here

You can read the associated blog and listen to a live recording of this presentation by clicking here

You can read Les’s profile here

http://www.biz-smart.co.uk/smart-room/

http://www.biz-smart.co.uk/blog/excels-vlookup-function/

http://www.biz-smart.co.uk/select-members/101-systemworks-ltd/


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•Want someone to challenge your assumptions?

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CN0_d__cRik


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How to Unravel VLOOKUP

Business

Transcript of How to Unravel VLOOKUP