Excel: LOOKUP, HLOOKUP, VLOOKUP Return Incorrect Values

 Last reviewed: August 20, 1995
Article ID: Q24659

The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 2.x, 3.x, 4.x, 5.0, 5.0c
  • Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 1.x, 2.2, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 5.0a
  • Microsoft Excel for Windows NT, version 5.0
  • Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, version 7.0

SUMMARY

The Microsoft Excel LOOKUP, HLOOKUP, and VLOOKUP functions will return incorrect values if the "lookup_vector" argument is not sorted in ascending order.

MORE INFORMATION

"lookup_vector" is the second argument of the LOOKUP function: 

  LOOKUP(lookup_value,lookup_vector,result_vector)
"lookup_vector" is the first row of the table_array (second) argument of the HLOOKUP function: 

  HLOOKUP(lookup_value,table_array,row_index_num)
"lookup_vector" is the first column of the table_array (second) argument of the VLOOKUP function: 

  VLOOKUP(lookup_value,table_array,col_index_num)

REFERENCES

"Microsoft Excel Function Reference," version 4.0, pages 221-222, 264-265, 450-451

"Microsoft Excel Function Reference," version 3.0, pages 123, 145-146, 246-247

"Microsoft Excel Functions and Macros," version 2.2, pages 41-42, 55-56

KBCategory: kbusage
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Additional reference words: 7.00 1.0 1.00 1.03 1.04 1.06 1.5 1.50 2.0
2.00 2.01 2.1 2.10 2.2 2.20 3.0 3.00 4.0 4.00 5.00

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Last reviewed: August 20, 1995
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