The document provides an introduction to lookup functions in Microsoft Excel, including LOOKUP, VLOOKUP, and HLOOKUP. It defines what each function is used for, the syntax, and provides examples of formulas to lookup values in tables. It also includes some fun facts about the history of Excel and Microsoft.

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Microsoft Excel
An introduction to lookup function
Presentation by Vinod V Menon

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Topics covered
 LOOKUP
 VLOOKUP
 HLOOKUP
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
An introduction to Microsoft Excel

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What is Lookup?
 In Excel, the Lookup function returns a value from a range (one row or
one column) or from an array.
 Lookup is the simple function to return the value from a specific range.
 This function looks for a piece of information in a list, and then picks an
item from a second range of cells.
 =LOOKUP(WhatToLookFor,RangeToLookIn,RangeToPickFrom)
 The WhatToLookFor should be a single item.
 The RangeToLook in can be either horizontal or vertical.
 The RangeToPickFrom must have the same number of cells in it as the
RangeToLookin.
 Be careful not to include unnecessary heading in the ranges as these will
cause errors.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
An introduction to Microsoft Excel

4. + Consider the table below
 How to find the value of Eric for Feb?
 Formula: =LOOKUP(“Eric”,D4:G10,F4:F10)
 OR =LOOKUP(D8,D4:G10,F4:F10)
 Answer: 120
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
An introduction to Microsoft Excel
D E F G
3 Name Jan Feb Mar
4 Alan 10 80 97
5 Bob 20 90 69
6 Carol 30 100 45
7 David 40 110 51
8 Eric 50 120 77
9 Francis 60 130 28
10 Gail 70 140 73

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Lookup - Example
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
An introduction to Microsoft Excel
Do you know? Microsoft originally marketed a spreadsheet program
called Multiplan in 1982! Excel came out in 1985 – for MAC and in 1987
for Windows. Until then, world used only one software – Lotus 123

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What is lookup (Array)?
 This function looks for a piece of information in a list, and then
picks an item from the last cell in the adjacent row or column.
 Formula: =LOOKUP(F12,D4:G10) OR LOOKUP(“Eric”,D4:G10)
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
An introduction to Microsoft Excel

7. + What is Vlookup?
 This function scans down the row headings at the side of a table to find a
specified item.
 When the item is found, it then scans across to pick a cell entry.
 '=VLOOKUP(ItemToFind,RangeToLookIn,ColumnToPickFrom,SortedOrUns
orted)
 The ItemToFind is a single item specified by the user.
 The RangeToLookIn is the range of data with the row headings at the left
hand side.
 The ColumnToPickFrom is how far across the table the function should
look to pick from.
 The Sorted/Unsorted is whether the column headings are sorted. TRUE for
yes, FALSE for no.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
An introduction to Microsoft Excel

8. + Consider the same example
 Find the value of Eric for Feb?
 =VLOOKUP(“Eric”,D3:G10,3,0) OR VLOOKUP(D8,D3:G10,3,0)
 We put “Zero” to inform computer that we require the exact value
 We put “one” to inform the computer that we require approximate
value (nearest)
 Answer is 120
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
An introduction to Microsoft Excel
D E F G
3 Name Jan Feb Mar
4 Alan 10 80 97
5 Bob 20 90 69
6 Carol 30 100 45
7 David 40 110 51
8 Eric 50 120 77
9 Francis 60 130 28
10 Gail 70 140 73

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VLOOKUP - example
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
An introduction to Microsoft Excel
Do you know? In a Excel 2007 Table, there are 16,000 Possible Columns and 1
Million possible Rows, that makes a total of 16,000,000,000 (16 Billion) Entries per
table!

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What is Hlookup?
 This function scans across the column headings at the top of a table to
find a specified item. When the item is found, it then scans down the
column to pick a cell entry.

=HLOOKUP(ItemToFind,RangeToLookIn,RowToPickFrom,SortedOrUnsort
ed)
 The ItemToFind is a single item specified by the user.
 The RangeToLookIn is the range of data with the column headings at the
top.
 The RowToPickFrom is how far down the column the function should look
to pick from.
 The Sorted/Unsorted is whether the column headings are sorted. TRUE
(or 1) for yes, FALSE (or 0) for no.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
An introduction to Microsoft Excel

11. + Consider same table – horizontally plotted:
 Find the value of Eric for Mar?
 =HLOOKUP(E18,C18:H21,4,0) OR
 =HLOOKUP(“Eric”,C18:H21,4,0)
 Answer is 69
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
An introduction to Microsoft Excel
C D E F G H
18 Bob Eric Alan Carol David
19 Jan 10 20 30 40 50
20 Feb 80 90 100 110 120
21 Mar 97 69 45 51 77

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Hlookup - example
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
An introduction to Microsoft Excel
Open Office is a free and open alternative to Microsoft Office! This
is developed by Sun Microsystems. Try it out at
http://www.openoffice.org/

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Learn Excel!
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
An introduction to Microsoft Excel
This excel worksheet will help you to understand basic formulas and
tricks in Excel.
Funny facts: Microsoft threatened 17 year old Mike Rowe with a lawsuit after the
young man launched a website named MikeRoweSoft.com

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Thank you
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
An introduction to Microsoft Excel
Any
Questions?