XL: VLOOKUP Function Cannot Return Values to Left of Data

ID: Q118306

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a
• Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 4.0, 4.0a, 5.0
• Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, version 4.0

SYMPTOMS

Microsoft Excel versions 5.0 and 7.0 Help and page 450 of the "Function Reference," version 4.0, specify that you should "use VLOOKUP() instead of HLOOKUP() when your comparison values are located in a column to the left or right of the data you want to find."

MORE INFORMATION

This information is not entirely correct: VLOOKUP() searches the leftmost column of the array and cannot return a value to the left of the found data (returning the value to the left would require that the column index argument be negative, and the column index argument must be a positive number). VLOOKUP() can return a value only from a column to the right of the leftmost column.

NOTE: The Help files included with Microsoft Excel 97 and Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition contain the correct information.

Additional query words: 4.00 4.00a 5.00 5.00a 5.00c 7.00 7.00a XL7 XL5 XL4 LOOKUP

Keywords          : xlhelp 
Version           : WINDOWS:4.0,4.0a,5.0,7.0,7.0a; MACINTOSH:4.0
Platform          : MACINTOSH WINDOWS

Last Reviewed: February 5, 1998