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Embracing Efficiency: Why You Should Use INDEX/MATCH Instead of VLOOKUP in Google Sheets

August 6th, 2023

VLOOKUP is a commonly used function in Google Sheets for finding data in a table or range by row. However, there is an even more powerful alternative that can help you streamline your data lookup tasks: the INDEX/MATCH combination.

Understanding VLOOKUP's Limitations

The VLOOKUP function is easy to understand and use, but it has its limitations:

  • It only looks to the right. VLOOKUP cannot return a value to the left of the lookup column.
  • The lookup column must be the first column within the range.
  • VLOOKUP will not work properly if a new column is inserted within the lookup range.
  • It doesn’t handle errors very gracefully.

These limitations can often cause issues when dealing with complex data sets. That's where INDEX/MATCH comes in.

Why INDEX/MATCH?

INDEX/MATCH is a combination of two different functions in Google Sheets. INDEX returns the value of a cell in a given range, while MATCH provides the relative position of an item in a range of cells. Together, they work as a more flexible and powerful lookup tool.

Benefits of INDEX/MATCH:

  • It can look both left and right within a table, not just to the right.
  • The lookup column does not have to be the first within the range.
  • It remains unaffected if a new column is inserted in the lookup range.
  • It can handle errors in a more sophisticated manner.

INDEX/MATCH Example

Suppose you have a table in Google Sheets with student names in Column A and their scores in Column B. If you want to find the score of a particular student using INDEX/MATCH, here's how you would do it:

=INDEX(B2:B10, MATCH("John", A2:A10, 0))

In this formula:

  • "B2:B10" is the range where the return value is located.
  • "John" is the lookup value.
  • "A2:A10" is the range where the lookup value is located.
  • "0" indicates that we want an exact match.

If "John" is found in the range A2:A10, the MATCH function returns the relative position of "John". The INDEX function then uses this position to return the score from the range B2:B10.

Conclusion

While VLOOKUP has been the go-to function for many Google Sheets users, the power and flexibility of INDEX/MATCH make it a more efficient choice for various lookup scenarios. By understanding and mastering these functions, you can enhance your data manipulation capabilities in Google Sheets.

For more tips and tutorials on Google Sheets, stay tuned to our blog!