Author: Amrut Chitragar | Published: May 23, 2025
What Is Lookup in Excel? And Why Baap of Match, INDEX, VLOOKUP & AmrutVlookup Are Game-Changers
In Excel, lookup functions are used to search and retrieve specific data from large datasets. Imagine you have a list of 1,000 employees. If you type an employee ID like EMP1025, Excel can instantly display their name, department, salary, and more — thanks to lookup formulas. These functions make Excel not just a calculator, but a powerful data search engine.
Lookup tools are essential in tasks like payroll, inventory, sales analysis, and reporting. The three most commonly used formulas are VLOOKUP, INDEX, and MATCH. When used together, they become the legendary combo: "Baap of Match". But now, a custom-built formula called AmrutVlookup, developed by Amrut (that’s me!), takes things even further.
1. VLOOKUP – The Most Common Lookup Tool
- 🔹 Syntax:
=VLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num, [range_lookup]) - 🔹 Searches in the first column and returns data from a specified column
- 🔹 Example: Entering EMP1025 fetches the department info from the 3rd column
- 🔹 Limitation: Cannot look to the left, breaks if columns are rearranged
2. MATCH – Finds Position, Not Value
- 🔹 Syntax:
=MATCH(lookup_value, lookup_array, [match_type]) - 🔹 Returns the position of a value in a row or column
- 🔹 Often paired with INDEX to dynamically locate the correct column
3. INDEX – Retrieves Value by Position
- 🔹 Syntax:
=INDEX(array, row_num, [column_num]) - 🔹 Returns a value from a specific position in a table
- 🔹 Works both vertically and horizontally
INDEX + MATCH = Baap of VLOOKUP
- 🔹 Example:
=INDEX(B2:D10, MATCH("EMP1025", A2:A10, 0), 2) - 🔹 Dynamic, stable, and accurate – ideal for tables with changing columns
- 🔹 Supports left lookups and eliminates VLOOKUP limitations
Introducing AmrutVlookup (UDF) – The Next Generation Lookup
- 🔹 Developed by Amrut, this User Defined Function (UDF) beats all traditional formulas
- 🔹 More flexible, handles two-way lookups, and supports complex conditions
- 🔹 No need to worry about column order or range limitations
Stay tuned! In my next article, I’ll show how AmrutVlookup works with examples, downloadable file, and VBA code.
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