How to Use VLOOKUP Function for Exact Match in Google Sheets

VLOOKUP is a vertical lookup that we use when we need to find a value row-wise within columns in a table. For example, we can use VLOOKUP to look up a section name and find the corresponding student number. The VLOOKUP function allows us to find the exact value we are looking for. In this article, we will learn how to use VLOOKUP for exact match in google sheets.

Table of Contents

A Sample of Practice Spreadsheet

You may copy the spreadsheet below and practice by yourself.

Using VLOOKUP Function for Exact Match

Introduction to VLOOKUP Function in Google Sheets

The VLOOKUP function looks for a particular value to return corresponding values. For example, if you VLOOKUP a brand name in a dataset, you can find the corresponding product name, ID, price, etc.

Syntax

The syntax of the VLOOKUP function is:

VLOOKUP(search_key, range, index, [is_sorted])

Arguments

ARGUMENT	REQUIREMENT	FUNCTION
search_key	Required	This is the value to look up for. For example, if we consider cell B2 as search_key then VLOOKUP will start from cell B2.
range	Required	This criterion indicates the range to look up in. If we want to pull data from column C, the range will be column C.
index	Required	This parameter represents the column number from the range according to search_key. For example, if the range is columns C:F and you need data from column E, then index will be 3. As C=1,D=2, and E=3.
[is_sorted]	Optional	You must sort the range to the exact match. Here, FALSE or 0 means Exact Match, and TRUE or 1 means Approximate Match.

Return Value

Returns the first matching value from the lookup.

Read More: Google Sheets Vlookup Dynamic Range

Step-by-Step Procedure to Use VLOOKUP Function for Exact Match in Google Sheets

If is_sorted is FALSE then the function returns an exact match. Let’s find the steps to VLOOKUP exact match in google sheets step by step. Here is the overview image of this process.

Step 1: Prepare Dataset

First, prepare a dataset that contains Class Section and Total Students. Here, we will find the exact value of a particular cell using the VLOOKUP function.

Step 2: Enter Exact Lookup Value

Then, select Cell F5 and insert the VLOOKUP If you enter the “=” sign followed by VLOOKUP, you will see the function listed below the cell. Select it or press Tab to insert the function.

Then select cell B5 as we want to look up the value of that cell.

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Step 3: Insert Range and Column Index Number

After that select the range B5:C11. Then, press F4 to make it an absolute reference. Put a comma after that.

Then, type 2 for the index as we need VLOOKUP to return the Total Students from the second column in the range.

Step 4: Set Exact Match

Next, type 0 or FALSE to look up an Exact Match from the range. The final formula will look as follows.

=VLOOKUP(B5,B5:C11,2,False)

Step 5: Final Output

Lastly, press the Enter button and execute the formula as below.

How to VLOOKUP from Another Sheet with Exact Match in Google Sheets

Suppose you need to implement the VLOOKUP function from another sheet with the same dataset. Here, we use VLOOKUP to return values from the Dataset sheet. Now follow the steps below to execute this method.

Steps:

First, select cell F5 and type =VLOOKUP( to insert the function. Then select cell F4 as the lookup value as before.

Next, select the range Dataset!B5:C11 from the Dataset sheet as below.

After that, type 2 for the index, put a comma, and then type False to get the exact match.

=VLOOKUP(F4,Dataset!B5:C11,2,False)

Lastly, the output is as below.

Things to Remember

Always remember to select the correct data range as VLOOKUP does not allow you to have any blank data while selecting the range.
Always lock the lookup range to avoid data missing or data mismatch.

Conclusion

In this article, we explained the anatomy of the VLOOKUP function. We also explained how to VLOOKUPexact match in Google Sheets. Hopefully, the methods will help you to apply this method to your own dataset. Please let us know in the comment section if you have any further queries or suggestions. You may also visit our OfficeWheel blog to explore more Google Sheets-related articles.