VLOOKUP Practice Exercises
VLOOKUP searches down the first column of a table for a value, then returns a value from a column you specify, on the same row. It's one of the most-requested Excel skills in job postings and interviews — practically every "look this ID up in that table" task in a spreadsheet starts with VLOOKUP.
Worked example
=VLOOKUP(D2, A2:B10, 2, 0)Finds D2's value in column A, returns the matching value from column B
The final 0 (or FALSE) means exact match — leaving it off is the single most common VLOOKUP mistake.
The four arguments, in plain terms
Lookup value — what you're searching for. Table array — the full range to search, lookup column first. Column index number — which column (counted from the table's left edge) to return. Range lookup — 0/FALSE for exact match, which is what you want almost every time.
When VLOOKUP breaks
VLOOKUP can't look to the left of its search column, and it breaks if a column gets inserted inside the table range (the column index number no longer points where you think). For either problem, INDEX MATCH or XLOOKUP is the more robust choice.
Practice this for real
Try the "VLOOKUP Essentials" exercises
Type the formula into a real spreadsheet and get instant feedback.