Mastering Two-Way Lookup in Microsoft Excel. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll delve into the intricacies of performing a two-way lookup in Microsoft Excel.
Mastering Two-Way Lookup in Microsoft Excel
Scenario:
Imagine the need to fetch a specific value from a table without directly scanning through it. Our goal is to create a formula that precisely matches both a row index and a column index in a 2D lookup table. For example, locating the salary of an employee (Emp 052) entails using the MATCH function twice, once for the Employee ID and again for the Salary under columns.
Solution Approach:
INDEX function
MATCH function
Now, combining these functions: the first MATCH function identifies the index of the lookup value1 within the row header field, and another MATCH function pinpoints the index of the lookup value2 within the column header field. These index numbers serve as inputs for the INDEX function to retrieve values associated with the lookup values from the table data.
Generic Formula:
= INDEX(data, MATCH(lookup_value1, row_headers, 0, MATCH(lookup_value2, column_headers, 0)))
Explanation of Parameters:
data: Array of values within the table (excluding headers)
lookup_value1: Value to seek in the row header
row_headers: Array representing row indices for lookup
lookup_value2: Value to search in the column header
column_headers: Array depicting column indices for lookup
Example:
Let’s illustrate the formula through an example. Consider a list displaying students’ scores alongside their subjects. We aim to find Gary’s score in Social Studies, as showcased below.
By employing the formula in cell J6:
= INDEX(table, MATCH(J5, row, 0, MATCH(J4, column, 0)))
The MATCH functions determine the positions of Gary (in J4) and Social Studies (in J5) within the row and column headers, respectively. Consequently, the INDEX function retrieves the matched value from the table.
This formula operates with cell references for values and named ranges for row_header, table, and column_header, as indicated in the example.
Furthermore, this method proves effective for approximate matches involving numerical row and column headers, as exemplified in the subsequent case.
Conclusion:
The two-way lookup method outlined here utilizes precise and approximate matching techniques, effectively retrieving values from Excel tables. With an understanding of this process, navigating Excel for similar operations becomes more accessible.
