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This article will show you how to Use XLOOKUP Function in Excel. Excel search formulas are used by many people to track specific information in large worksheets that contain data such as student grades and financial records. Examples of this kind of data include student grades and financial records. It is possible that becoming familiar with Xlookup, the most advanced search tool, will enable you to cut down on the amount of time spent searching for information as well as improve your proficiency in Excel. This article will explain what the Xlookup function is, how to use it in Excel, the benefits of utilizing this tool, some helpful hints for utilizing it in your own spreadsheets, and some frequently asked questions regarding the utilization of the function.
People use the Xlookup formula to search for a piece of data within a table or in vertical and horizontal ranges. This formula can also be used to search for data in ranges. A user, for instance, could find a specific name in a spreadsheet by typing in that person’s phone number or ID number to use as a search parameter. You also have the option of making the information appear in a cell that is not immediately adjacent to it. If the formula is unable to locate an exact match for the information that you have input, it will locate the most similar match possible. here are the steps how to Use XLOOKUP Function in Excel.
What is the XLOOKUP function?
Excel’s lookup function family has recently welcomed a new member, denoted by the name XLOOKUP. You might already be familiar with its relatives, such as VLOOKUP, HLOOKUP, INDEX+MATCH, LOOKUP, and so on. We are able to search for an item within a range (or table) and return results that match using the XLOOKUP function. It is somewhat analogous to the VLOOKUP command, but it provides so much more information.
Excel takes care of the rest when you use the XLOOKUP function; all you have to do is provide the program with three mandatory parameters and another three that are optional. The function known as VLOOKUP or HLOOKUP has been updated and renamed XLOOKUP, which is a new function that can be found in Office 365. It performs all of the tasks that were previously performed by VLOOKUP, plus a great deal more.
A function known as XLOOKUP makes it possible to perform a quick search for a value in a dataset (either vertically or horizontally) and return the value that corresponds to that value in another row or column. For instance, if you have the scores that students received on an exam, you can use the function XLOOKUP to quickly check how much each student scored by simply entering the student’s name into the function.
How to Use XLOOKUP Function in Excel

- Start up Excel and the datasheet that you want to use XLookup on.
- Pick out the cell where you want the XLookup formula to go.
- Type “=” into the cell, then “XLookup.” You can choose “XLookup” from the dropdown menu.
- An opening parenthesis will be made for you automatically. You need to enter the lookup_value, lookup_array, and return_array arguments in the right order after the opening bracket.
- If you want to use any optional arguments, put them in after the ones that are required.
- Add a closing parenthesis before pressing enter when your XLookup arguments are done.
- Whatever you got from your XLookup should show up in the cell where you put the function.
Prerequisites for Using XLOOKUP
- Microsoft 365 Subscription: XLOOKUP is available only to users with a Microsoft 365 subscription. It may not be available in earlier versions of Excel.
- Updated Excel Version: Ensure that you are using an updated version of Microsoft Excel that supports XLOOKUP. As of my last knowledge update in September 2021, XLOOKUP was introduced in Excel for Microsoft 365. Verify that your Excel version is up to date.
- Basic Knowledge of Excel: Having a fundamental understanding of how Excel works, including formulas and functions, will be helpful when using XLOOKUP.
- Data Preparation: Make sure your data is organized in a way that makes sense for the XLOOKUP function. XLOOKUP is commonly used for searching and returning values from a table, so ensure your data is structured accordingly.
- Clear Objective: Clearly define your goal or what you want to achieve with XLOOKUP. Knowing what you’re looking for and where you expect to find it in your data is essential.
- Understanding of XLOOKUP Syntax: Familiarize yourself with the syntax of the XLOOKUP function. This includes understanding its arguments, such as the lookup_value, lookup_array, return_array, and optional arguments like match_mode and search_mode.
Benefits of using the XLOOKUP function
- To make things easier: XLOOKUP makes it easier to find and get data from a table. It’s simple and easy to understand, so both new and experienced Excel users can use it.
- Readability: XLOOKUP can help your formulas be easier to understand and read. You don’t have to count column numbers like you do with VLOOKUP or HLOOKUP. Instead, you can use column names or labels, which will help you understand your formulas on their own.
- Flexibility: XLOOKUP can do both horizontal and vertical lookups and return results from more than one column. This means you can use it with a lot of different data structures without having to figure out a lot of complicated workarounds.
- Exact Match by Default: By default, XLOOKUP does an exact match, which keeps you from running into problems that can happen with VLOOKUP’s approximate matches. This cuts down on mistakes in your calculations.
- Handling Errors: XLOOKUP has built-in error handling, so you can tell it what to do if it can’t find a lookup value. This helps you handle missing data and mistakes in your worksheets more easily.
- Support for arrays: XLOOKUP can return arrays of values, which is helpful when there are more than one match. This is very helpful when you need to get back a list of things, like all the products that meet a certain condition.
Conclusion
This tutorial presents XLOOKUP, which is a new function in Excel that can perform both vertical and horizontal lookups. Left lookup, last match, Vlookup with multiple criteria, and a great many other tasks that used to require a degree in rocket science to complete are now as simple as the alphabet. Which Excel function would you choose to use whenever you needed to look something up?
Is it an HLOOKUP, the horizontal sibling of the cornerstone VLOOKUP, or neither? In a scenario with a higher degree of complexity, do you plan to rely on the conventional INDEX MATCH combination or delegate the task to Power Query? The uplifting news is that you will no longer be required to make a decision; all of these methods are being phased out in favor of their more robust and adaptable successor, the XLOOKUP function. If you want to know more information about this so you can visit Microsoft Official Website.
Questions and Answers
Excel’s XLOOKUP function looks through a range or an array for a value that you specify and then returns the value that corresponds to that value from another column. It is able to perform an exact match, which is the default, an approximate match, which finds the closest match, or a wildcard match, which finds a partial match. It can look up both vertically and horizontally.
In contrast to the other search functions in Excel, it has the ability to use an exact match as the default search mode. It is able to search for data in both the horizontal and the vertical directions. It is able to conduct a search in the opposite direction. It is not limited to returning a single value, but rather it can return entire rows and columns of data.
Excel’s XLOOKUP function is broken down here, along with its syntax and some examples. Excel’s VLOOKUP function enables users to search for a match for a particular lookup value to the right of the cell in question. Excel’s XLOOKUP function will get the job done for you if you need to perform a lookup in the opposite direction, to the left.