LEFT Lookup in Excel: Using INDEX and MATCH Function

In this tutorial, we will go over the index and match functions for looking up items in cells to the left of a table. Compared to Vlookup, it can only look up data to the right, while Index and Match allow for both left and right lookup.

In this example, we have a table with the name of the products in the left column and the product code in the right column. We want to get the name of the product based on the product codes. To do this, we will use the INDEX and MATCH functions.

Step-by-step instructions

  1. Write “=Index(“ in the cell where you want the lookup result to appear.
  2. Select the range of cells that contain the data you want to look up. In this example, we will select the column with the names of products from the table.
  3. Write a comma “,” and then write Match( to begin the match function.
  4. Enter the value you want to look up in the match function. In this example, we will use the product code to find the product name from the table.
  5. Write a comma “,” and then select the column where the value you want to look up is located. In this example, you would select the column that has the product codes.
  6. Write a comma “,” and then enter 0 as the match type. This tells Excel to find an exact match.
  7. Close the match function by inputting a closed parentheses “)” and then close the index inputting a closed parentheses “)”.
  8. Press Enter to finish the calculation.

Conclusion

Using the Index and Match function for left lookup in Excel is a powerful and versatile tool that allows you to look up data from any direction. With Index and Match, you have more control over your data and can easily find the information you need.