In EXCEL, What does VLOOKUP really do?

VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP are used to search for a value in a table array, and return a value from another table array, for example if you have a list of names and a list of addresses, you can use these functions to return the address of the name entered.

VLOOKUP is used when using Columns as arrays, and HLOOKUP when using Rows.

For more tips and tricks, check this link :

http://office.microsoft.com/en-001/excel-help/vlookup-HP.aspx

Vlookup is A key to emport data from another Excel 

The Microsoft Excel VLOOKUP function searches for value in the left-most column of table_array and returns the value in the same row based on the index_number.

The syntax for the Microsoft Excel VLOOKUP function is:

PARAMETERS OR ARGUMENTS

value is the value to search for in the first column of the table_array.

table_array is two or more columns of data that is sorted in ascending order.

index_number is the column number in table_array from which the matching value must be returned. The first column is1.

not_exact_match is optional. It determines if you are looking for an exact match based on value. Enter FALSE to find an exact match. Enter TRUE to find an approximate match, which means that if an exact match if not found, then the VLOOKUP function will look for the next largest value that is less than value. If this parameter is omitted, the VLOOKUP function returns an approximate match.

• If index_number is less than1, the VLOOKUP function will return #VALUE!.
• If index_number is greater than the number of columns in table_array, the VLOOKUP function will return #REF!.
• If you enter FALSE for the not_exact_match parameter and no exact match is found, then the VLOOKUP function will return #N/A.

Vlookup is very interesting function and widly use daily day to day task.

The Microsoft Excel VLOOKUP function searches for value in the left-most column of table_array and returns the value in the same row based on the index_number.

Anything to want in rule (Vlookup) in excel 

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This article describes the formula syntax and usage of the VLOOKUP function (function: A prewritten formula that takes a value or values, performs an operation, and returns a value or values. Use functions to simplify and shorten formulas on a worksheet, especially those that perform lengthy or complex calculations.) in Microsoft Excel.

You can use the VLOOKUP function to search the first column of a range (range: Two or more cells on a sheet. The cells in a range can be adjacent or nonadjacent.) of cells, and then return a value from any cell on the same row of the range. For example, suppose that you have a list of employees contained in the range A2:C10. The employees' ID numbers are stored in the first column of the range, as shown in the following illustration.

If you know the employee's ID number, you can use the VLOOKUP function to return either the department or the name of that employee. To obtain the name of employee number38, you can use the formula =VLOOKUP(38, A2:C10,3, FALSE). This formula searches for the value38 in the first column of the range A2:C10, and then returns the value that is contained in the third column of the range and on the same row as the lookup value ("Axel Delgado").

The V in VLOOKUP stands for vertical. Use VLOOKUP instead of HLOOKUP when your comparison values are located in a column to the left of the data that you want to find.

The VLOOKUP function syntax has the following arguments (argument: A value that provides information to an action, an event, a method, a property, a function, or a procedure.):

• lookup_value    Required. The value to search in the first column of the table or range. The lookup_value argument can be a value or a reference. If the value you supply for the lookup_value argument is smaller than the smallest value in the first column of the table_array argument, VLOOKUP returns the #N/A error value.
• table_array    Required. The range of cells that contains the data. You can use a reference to a range (for example, A2:D8), or a range name. The values in the first column of table_array are the values searched by lookup_value. These values can be text, numbers, or logical values. Uppercase and lowercase text are equivalent.
• col_index_num    Required. The column number in the table_array argument from which the matching value must be returned. A col_index_num argument of1 returns the value in the first column in table_array; a col_index_num of2 returns the value in the second column in table_array, and so on.

If the col_index_num argument is:

• Less than1, VLOOKUP returns the #VALUE! error value.
• Greater than the number of columns in table_array, VLOOKUP returns the #REF! error value.

• range_lookup    Optional. A logical value that specifies whether you want VLOOKUP to find an exact match or an approximate match:
  • If range_lookup is either TRUE or is omitted, an exact or approximate match is returned. If an exact match is not found, the next largest value that is less than lookup_value is returned.

 Important   If range_lookup is either TRUE or is omitted, the values in the first column of table_array must be placed in ascending sort order; otherwise, VLOOKUP might not return the correct value.

For more information, see Sort data in a range or table.

If range_lookup is FALSE, the values in the first column of table_array do not need to be sorted.

• If the range_lookup argument is FALSE, VLOOKUP will find only an exact match. If there are two or more values in the first column of table_array that match the lookup_value, the first value found is used. If an exact match is not found, the error value #N/A is returned.

• When searching text values in the first column of table_array, ensure that the data in the first column of table_array does not contain leading spaces, trailing spaces, inconsistent use of straight ( ' or " ) and curly ( ‘ or “) quotation marks, or nonprinting characters. In these cases, VLOOKUP might return an incorrect or unexpected value.

For more information, see CLEAN function and TRIM function.

• When searching number or date values, ensure that the data in the first column of table_array is not stored as text values. In this case, VLOOKUP might return an incorrect or unexpected value.
• If range_lookup is FALSE and lookup_value is text, you can use the wildcard characters — the question mark (?) and asterisk (*) — in lookup_value. A question mark matches any single character; an asterisk matches any sequence of characters. If you want to find an actual question mark or asterisk, type a tilde (~) preceding the character.

VLOOKUP is used to get data from other file by using first column of this as search criteria. For in your file first column is empno, and you have another file having all details empno, empname, salary, address, designation etc, then in the first file you no need to enter all other details manually. U can just use VLOOKUP by using empno as search criteria.

Vlookup is Excel Function, it takes four arguments (fourth is optional). Vlookup looks for a value in left most column of the given table array and return value as per column number given. It can return value from same sheet, or different sheet, or differnet workbook. 

It is avery important equation to do in Excel to Show info. for a criteria which repeated more than one time in atable arra.

It does the same result if we use "Pivot Table" for acriteria to remove duplicates for a criteria in a table array.

I'm seeing copy pasted answers above. In short... vlookup is a formula used to retreive values in an excel sheet from another range by doing a vertical lookup, i.e., it retreived the values from the columns specified... Hlookup is the other lookup formula which retreives values from rows...

VLOOKUP function works as a query.Example:The online phone directory.You just put the phone number, then you will get the rest of information about the client from the database.