Template Overview
VLOOKUP is one of the most useful Excel formulas for finding related information from a table. This template gives you working examples instead of a blank explanation: enter a product code to return product name, category, price, and stock, or enter an employee ID to return department, location, and manager. The workbook also includes a quick guide sheet that explains each part of the VLOOKUP syntax, why exact match matters, and how to avoid common errors such as #N/A. It is ideal for beginners, office teams, students, and anyone who wants to understand lookup formulas by editing a real spreadsheet.
Features
- Working exact-match VLOOKUP formulas
- Product price lookup with line total calculation
- Employee details lookup by employee ID
- Dropdown sample lookup values to reduce typing errors
- Quick guide sheet explaining VLOOKUP syntax and mistakes
Instructions
- Download the file and open it in Excel, Google Sheets, or LibreOffice.
- Open the Product Lookup sheet and choose a product code in column A.
- Review how VLOOKUP returns product name, category, price, and stock from the lookup table.
- Change the quantity to see the line total update automatically.
- Open the Employee Lookup sheet and choose an employee ID to return employee details.
- Read the Quick Guide sheet to understand lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num, and exact match.
- Replace the sample lookup tables with your own codes, names, prices, or staff records.
FAQ
Is this VLOOKUP formula template free?
Yes. It is free to download and edit for personal, study, and business use.
What does VLOOKUP do in Excel?
VLOOKUP searches for a value in the first column of a table and returns a matching value from another column in the same row.
Why does the formula use FALSE?
FALSE tells Excel to find an exact match, which is usually what you want for product codes, employee IDs, invoice numbers, and other fixed lookup values.
Does it work in Google Sheets?
Yes. VLOOKUP formulas, dropdowns, and formatting work after uploading the file to Google Sheets.