by The tutorial shows how to use the VLOOKUP function to copy data from another worksheet or workbook, Vlookup in multiple sheets, and look up dynamically to return values from different sheets into different cells.
When looking up some information in Excel, it's a rare case when all the data is on the same sheet. More often, you will have to search across multiple sheets or even different workbooks. The good news is that Microsoft Excel provides more than one way to do this, and the bad news is that all the ways are a bit more complicated than a standard VLOOKUP formula. But with just a little patience, we will figure them out :)
How to VLOOKUP between two sheets
For starters, let's investigate a simplest case - using VLOOKUP to copy data from another worksheet. It's very similar to a regular VLOOKUP formula that searches on the same worksheet. The difference is that you include the sheet name in the table_array argument to tell your formula in which worksheet the lookup range is located.
The generic formula to VLOOKUP from another sheet is as follows:
As an example, let's pull the sales figures from Jan report to Summary sheet. For this, we define the following arguments:
- Lookup_values are in column A on the Summary sheet, and we refer to the first data cell, which is A2.
- Table_array is the range A2:B6 on the Jan sheet. To refer to it, prefix the range reference with the sheet name followed by the exclamation point: Jan!$A$2:$B$6.
Please pay attention that we lock the range with absolute cell references to prevent it from changing when copying the formula to other cells.
Col_index_num is 2 because we want to copy a value from column B, which is the 2nd column in the table array. - Range_lookup is set to FALSE to look up an exact match.
Putting the arguments together, we get this formula:
=VLOOKUP(A2, Jan!$A$2:$B$6, 2, FALSE)
Drag the formula down the column and you will get this result:
In a similar manner, you can Vlookup data from the Feb and Mar sheets:
=VLOOKUP(A2, Feb!$A$2:$B$6, 2, FALSE)
=VLOOKUP(A2, Mar!$A$2:$B$6, 2, FALSE)
Tips and notes:
- If the sheet name contains spaces or non-alphabetical characters, it must be enclosed in single quotation marks, like 'Jan Sales'!$A$2:$B$6. For more info, please see How to reference another sheet in Excel.
- Instead of typing a sheet name directly in a formula, you can switch to the lookup worksheet and select the range there. Excel will insert a reference with the correct syntax automatically, sparing you the trouble to check the name and troubleshoot.
Vlookup from a different workbook
To VLOOKUP between two workbooks, include the file name in square brackets, followed by the sheet name and the exclamation point.
For example, to search for A2 value in the range A2:B6 on Jan sheet in the Sales_reports.xlsx workbook, use this formula:
=VLOOKUP(A2, [Sales_reports.xlsx]Jan!$A$2:$B$6, 2, FALSE)
For full details, please see VLOOKUP from another workbook in Excel.
Vlookup across multiple sheets with IFERROR
When you need to look up between more than two sheets, the easiest solution is to use VLOOKUP in combination with IFERROR. The idea is to nest several IFERROR functions to check multiple worksheets one by one: if the first VLOOKUP does not find a match on the first sheet, search in the next sheet, and so on.
To see how this approach works on real-life data, let's consider the following example. Below is the Summary table that we want to populate with the item names and amounts by looking up the order number in West and East sheets:
First, we are going to pull the items. For this, we instruct the VLOOKUP formula to search for the order number in A2 on the East sheet and return the value from column B (2nd column in table_array A2:C6). If an exact match is not found, then search in the West sheet. If both Vlookups fail, return "Not found".
=IFERROR(VLOOKUP(A2, East!$A$2:$C$6, 2, FALSE), IFERROR(VLOOKUP(A2, West!$A$2:$C$6, 2, FALSE), "Not found"))
To return the amount, simply change the column index number to 3:
=IFERROR(VLOOKUP(A2, East!$A$2:$C$6, 3, FALSE), IFERROR(VLOOKUP(A2, West!$A$2:$C$6, 3, FALSE), "Not found"))
Tip. If needed, you can specify different table arrays for different VLOOKUP functions. In this example, both lookup sheets have the same number of rows (A2:C6), but your worksheets may be different in size.
Vlookup in multiple workbooks
To Vlookup between two or more workbooks, enclose the workbook name in square brackets and put it before the sheet name. For example, here's how you can Vlookup in two different files (Book1 and Book2) with a single formula:
=IFERROR(VLOOKUP(A2, [Book1.xlsx]East!$A$2:$C$6, 2, FALSE), IFERROR(VLOOKUP(A2, [Book2.xlsx]West!$A$2:$C$6, 2, FALSE),"Not found"))
Make column index number dynamic to Vlookup multiple columns
In situation when you need to return data from several columns, making col_index_num dynamic could save you some time. There are a couple of adjustments to be made:
- For the col_index_num argument, use the COLUMNS function that returns the number of columns in a specified array: COLUMNS($A$1:B$1). (The row coordinate does not really matter, it can be just any row.)
- In the lookup_value argument, lock the column reference with the $ sign ($A2), so it remains fixed when copying the formula to other columns.
As the result, you get a kind of dynamic formula that extracts matching values from different columns, depending on which column the formula is copied to:
=IFERROR(VLOOKUP($A2, East!$A$2:$C$6, COLUMNS($A$1:B$1), FALSE), IFERROR(VLOOKUP($A2, West!$A$2:$C$6, COLUMNS($A$1:B$1), FALSE), "Not found"))
When entered in column B, COLUMNS($A$1:B$1) evaluates to 2 telling VLOOKUP to return a value from the 2nd column in the table array.
When copied to column C (i.e. you've dragged the formula from B2 to C2), B$1 changes to C$1 because the column reference is relative. Consequently, COLUMNS($A$1:C$1) evaluates to 3 forcing VLOOKUP to return a value from the 3rd column.
This formula works great for 2 - 3 lookup sheets. If you have more, repetitive IFERRORs become too cumbersome. The next example demonstrates a bit more complicated but a lot more elegant approach.
Vlookup multiple sheets with INDIRECT
One more way to Vlookup between multiple sheets in Excel is to use a combination of VLOOKUP and INDIRECT functions. This method requires a little preparation, but in the end, you will have a more compact formula to Vlookup in any number of spreadsheets.
A generic formula to Vlookup across sheets is as follows:
Where:
- Lookup_sheets - a named range consisting of the lookup sheet names.
- Lookup_value - the value to search for.
- Lookup_range - the column range in the lookup sheets where to search for the lookup value.
- Table_array - the data range in the lookup sheets.
- Col_index_num - the number of the column in the table array from which to return a value.
For the formula to work correctly, please bear in mind the following caveats:
- It's an array formula, which must be completed by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Enter keys together.
- All the sheets must have the same order of columns.
- As we use one table array for all lookup sheets, specify the largest range if your sheets have different numbers of rows.
How to use the formula to Vlookup across sheets
To Vlookup multiple sheets at a time, carry out these steps:
- Write down all the lookup sheet names somewhere in your workbook and name that range (Lookup_sheets in our case).
- Adjust the generic formula for your data. In this example, we'll be:
- searching for A2 value (lookup_value)
- in the range A2:A6 (lookup_range) in four worksheets (East, North, South and West), and
- pull matching values from column B, which is column 2 (col_index_num) in the data range A2:C6 (table_array).
With the above arguments, the formula takes this shape:
=VLOOKUP($A2, INDIRECT("'"&INDEX(Lookup_sheets, MATCH(1, --(COUNTIF(INDIRECT("'"& Lookup_sheets&"'!$A$2:$A$6"), $A2)>0), 0)) &"'!$A$2:$C$6"), 2, FALSE)Please notice that we lock both ranges ($A$2:$A$6 and $A$2:$C$6) with absolute cell references.
- Enter the formula in the topmost cell (B2 in this example) and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to complete it.
- Double click or drag the fill handle to copy the formula down the column.
As the result, we've got the formula to look up the order number in 4 sheets and retrieve the corresponding item. If a specific order number is not found, a #N/A error is displayed like in row 14:
To return the amount, simply replace 2 with 3 in the col_index_num argument as amounts are in the 3rd column of the table array:
=VLOOKUP($A2, INDIRECT("'"&INDEX(Lookup_sheets, MATCH(1, --(COUNTIF(INDIRECT("'" & Lookup_sheets & "'!$A$2:$A$6"), $A2)>0), 0)) & "'!$A$2:$C$6"), 3, FALSE)
If you'd like to replace the standard #N/A error notation with your own text, wrap the formula into the IFNA function:
=IFNA(VLOOKUP($A2, INDIRECT("'"&INDEX(Lookup_sheets, MATCH(1, --(COUNTIF(INDIRECT("'" & Lookup_sheets & "'!$A$2:$A$6"), $A2)>0), 0)) & "'!$A$2:$C$6"), 3, FALSE), "Not found")
Vlookup multiple sheets between workbooks
This generic formula (or its any variation) can also be used to Vlookup multiple sheets in a different workbook. For this, concatenate the workbook name inside INDIRECT like shown in the below formula:
=IFNA(VLOOKUP($A2, INDIRECT("'[Book1.xlsx]" & INDEX(Lookup_sheets, MATCH(1, --(COUNTIF(INDIRECT("'[Book1.xlsx]" & Lookup_sheets & "'!$A$2:$A$6"), $A2)>0), 0)) & "'!$A$2:$C$6"), 2, FALSE), "Not found")
Vlookup between sheets and return multiple columns
If you want to pull data from several columns, a multi-cell array formula can do that in one go. To create such a formula, supply an array constant for the col_index_num argument.
In this example, we wish to return the item names (column B) and amounts (column C), which are the 2nd and 3rd columns in the table array, respectively. So, the required array is {2,3}.
=VLOOKUP($A2, INDIRECT("'"&INDEX(Lookup_sheets, MATCH(1, --(COUNTIF(INDIRECT("'"& Lookup_sheets &"'!$A$2:$C$6"), $A2)>0), 0)) &"'!$A$2:$C$6"), {2,3}, FALSE)
To correctly enter the formula in multiple cells, this is what you need to do:
- In the first row, select all the cells to be populated (B2:C2 in our example).
- Type the formula and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter. This enters the same formula in the selected cells, which will return a different value in each column.
- Drag down the formula to the remaining rows.
How this formula works
To better understand the logic, let's break down this basic formula to the individual functions:
=VLOOKUP($A2, INDIRECT("'"&INDEX(Lookup_sheets, MATCH(1, --(COUNTIF(INDIRECT("'"& Lookup_sheets&"'!$A$2:$A$6"), $A2)>0), 0)) &"'!$A$2:$C$6"), 2, FALSE)
Working from the inside out, here's what the formula does:
COUNTIF and INDIRECT
In a nutshell, INDIRECT builds the references for all lookup sheets, and COUNTIF counts the occurrences of the lookup value (A2) in each sheet:
--(COUNTIF( INDIRECT("'"&Lookup_sheets&"'!$A$2:$A$6"), $A2)>0)
In more detail:
First, you concatenate the range name (Lookup_sheets) and the range reference ($A$2:$A$6), adding apostrophes and the exclamation point in the right places to make an external reference, and feed the resulting text string to the INDIRECT function to dynamically refer to the lookup sheets:
INDIRECT({"'East'!$A$2:$A$6"; "'South'!$A$2:$A$6"; "'North'!$A$2:$A$6"; "'West'!$A$2:$A$6"})
COUNTIF checks each cell in the range A2:A6 on each lookup sheet against the value in A2 on the main sheet and returns the count of matches for each sheet. In our dataset, the order number in A2 (101) is found in the West sheet, which is 4th in the named range, so COUNTIF returns this array:
{0;0;0;1}
Next, you compare each element of the above array with 0:
--({0; 0; 0; 1}>0)
This yields an array of TRUE (greater than 0) and FALSE (equal to 0) values, which you coerce to 1's and 0's by using a double unary (--), and get the following array as the result:
{0; 0; 0; 1}
This operation is an extra precaution to handle a situation when a lookup sheet contains several occurrences of the lookup value, in which case COUNTIF would return a count greater than 1, while we want only 1's and 0's in the final array (in a moment, you will understand why).
After all these transformations, our formula looks as follows:
VLOOKUP($A2, INDIRECT("'"&INDEX(Lookup_sheets, MATCH(1, {0;0;0;1}, 0)) &"'!$A$2:$C$6"), 2, FALSE)
INDEX and MATCH
At this point, a classic INDEX MATCH combination steps in:
INDEX(Lookup_sheets, MATCH(1, {0;0;0;1}, 0))
The MATCH function configured for exact match (0 in the last argument) looks for the value 1 in the array {0;0;0;1} and returns its position, which is 4:
INDEX(Lookup_sheets, 4)
The INDEX function uses the number returned by MATCH as the row number argument (row_num), and returns the 4th value in the named range Lookup_sheets, which is West.
So, the formula further reduces to:
VLOOKUP($A2, INDIRECT("'"&"West"&"'!$A$2:$C$6"), 2, FALSE)
VLOOKUP and INDIRECT
The INDIRECT function processes the text string inside it:
INDIRECT("'"&"West"&"'!$A$2:$C$6")
And converts it into a reference that goes to the table_array argument of VLOOKUP:
VLOOKUP($A2, 'West'!$A$2:$C$6, 2, FALSE)
Finally, this very standard VLOOKUP formula searches for the A2 value in the first column of the range A2:C6 on the West sheet and returns a match from the 2nd column. That's it!
Dynamic VLOOKUP to return data from multiple sheets into different cells
First off, let's define what exactly the word "dynamic" means in this context and how this formula is going to be different from the previous ones.
In case you have large chunks of data in the same format that are split over multiple spreadsheets, you may want to extract information from different sheets into different cells. The image below illustrates the concept:
Unlike the previous formulas that retrieved a value from a specific sheet based on a unique identifier, this time we are looking to extract values from several sheets at a time.
There are two different solutions for this task. In both cases, you need to do a little preparatory work and create named ranges for data cells in each lookup sheet. For this example, we defined the following ranges:
- East_Sales - A2:B6 on the East sheet
- North_Sales - A2:B6 on the North sheet
- South_Sales - A2:B6 on the South sheet
- West_Sales - A2:B6 on the West sheet
VLOOKUP and nested IFs
If you have a reasonable number of sheets to look up, you can use nested IF functions to select the sheet based on the keywords in the predefined cells (cells B1 through D1 in our case).
With the lookup value in A2, the formula is follows:
=VLOOKUP($A2, IF(B$1="east", East_Sales, IF(B$1="north", North_Sales, IF(B$1="south", South_Sales, IF(B$1="west", West_Sales)))), 2, FALSE)
Translated into English, the IF part reads:
If B1 is East, look in the range named East_Sales; if B1 is North, look in the range named North_Sales; if B1 is South, look in the range named South_Sales; and if B1 is West, look in the range named West_Sales.
The range returned by IF goes to table_array of VLOOKUP, which pulls a matching value from the 2nd column on the corresponding sheet.
The clever use of mixed references for the lookup value ($A2 - absolute column and relative row) and the logical test of IF (B$1 - relative column and absolute row) allows copying the formula to other cells without any changes - Excel adjusts the references automatically based on the relative position of a row and column.
So, we enter the formula in B2, copy it right and down to as many columns and rows as needed, and get the following result:
INDIRECT VLOOKUP
When working with many sheets, multiple nested levels could make the formula too lengthy and difficult to read. A far better way is to create a dynamic vlookup range with the help of INDIRECT:
=VLOOKUP($A2, INDIRECT(B$1&"_Sales"), 2, FALSE)
Here, we concatenate the reference to the cell that contains a unique part of the named range (B1) and the common part (_Sales). This produces a text string like "East_Sales", which INDIRECT converts to the range name understandable by Excel.
As the result, you get a compact formula that works beautifully on any number of sheets:
That's how to Vlookup between sheets and files in Excel. I thank you for reading and hope to see you on our blog next week!
Practice workbook for download
Vlookup multiple sheets examples (.xlsx file)
191 comments
Hello,
I have this data in one sheet. Need to Order: 10 30 20 (in one rows, cell number D40, E40, F40).
I want to insert this data in another sheet called 'Product List' in 'Order' column (in columns, cell number E3, E4, E5).
Can you please help me.
Hi! Here is the article that may be helpful to you: Excel reference to another sheet or workbook (external reference).
I am trying to fetch data from each sheet of a different workbook (ABC.xlsx). Sheet names are changing as per Date. Example:
05-24-2023
05-25-2023
05-26-2023
Currently I am using formula:
=VLOOKUP(B2,[ABC.xlsx]05-24-2023!$E$2:$F$7,2,FALSE)
Please let me know how I can make the sheet name dynamic (vary as per date. As per above example).
Hi! Try to use the recommendations described in this article: INDIRECT formula to dynamically refer to another worksheet. I hope my advice will help you solve your task.
Sir,
Can you give me syntax for searching an item through multiple sheets by using index match
Thanks
I have all the names of the sheets written in one column of another sheet
VLOOKUP and INDEX MATCH can search in only one data range.
Sir, thanks for the quick reply.
my formula is
=IFERROR(INDEX(INDIRECT("'"&A2&"'!$C$5:$P"),MATCH($F$13,INDIRECT("'"&A2&"'!$M$5:$M"),0),11),"")
here I want to search from A2 to A12 dynamically and find the sheet name where F13 matches
=IFERROR(INDEX(INDIRECT("'"&A2&"'!$A$5:$P"),MATCH($F$13,INDIRECT("'"&A2&"'!$M$5:$M"),0),13),"")
only one column (ie M) to be searched in all the sheets
Hi! Note that $C$5:$P and $M$5:$M - incorrect references. Read more: Excel cell reference: how to make and use.
Hi! Just replace VLOOKUP with INDEX MATCH in the sample formulas you see above. If there is a specific question, you can ask it in the comments.
Hi,
I have created a spreadsheet for an event to record results.
I have a names tab which collates rider and horse and concatenates it to create a unique combo. I then have an event tab which hyperlinks to individual tab for each event and records 1st, 2nd, 3rd placing which is then converted to points ie. 1st = 5 points, 2nd = 3 points in a second column. Ihave each results tab set up identical so it is consistent across the board.
I now need to set up a summary sheet to calculate all points per rider and horse combination. I have used a vlookup to this effect - =vlookup(a2,tab1 a:f, 6,false)+vlookup(a2,tab2 a:f,6,false)+……
The first vlookup works, but as soon as I add the second (or more) it fails. Because I may have only calculated points in the first event and not the second. So I get an #refs error.
Is this the best way to total the points? Or is there a better formula?
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Hi! Maybe this article will be helpful: VLOOKUP across multiple sheets in Excel with examples. I hope it’ll be helpful. If this is not what you wanted, please describe the problem in more detail.
Sir I have 2 work sheets i.e 1 updated demand of 1500 assessments yearwise in commons.2 with the help of v lookup formula i created a receipt indicating year wise payments referring assessment as the base.my problem is if an assessed is not interested to pay entire due amount how ican stop the cell values for which assessed is not paying for. Secondly how I can make up dated demand zero or make demand zero for the years for which assessed paid for.
The information you provided is not enough to understand your case and give you any advice, sorry.
I'm trying to make a testing workbook where in Im trying to auto populate my summary of failed cases with data from 4 different sheets. I want to get entire rows where the test cases failed including, date, account number, employee number, and a validation based (Passed, Failed).
Hello!
You can get the data from each worksheet into a separate table using the FILTER function. Use this guide: Excel FILTER function - dynamic filtering with formulas.
If you want to get data from 4 worksheets in one table, you first need to merge these 4 worksheets into one. We have a special tutorial about this: Merge multiple sheets into one. Then extract the data from this sheet using the FILTER function.
I recommend that you pay attention to Copy Sheets tool. You can create a single table with data from several sheets in a couple of clicks.
It is available as a part of our Ultimate Suite for Excel that you can install in a trial mode and check how it works for free.
I'm trying to get a summary table with the count of the data of multiple sheets : ASIA , UK, USA are different excel files and the Total count is another Excel file:
eg:
| ASIA | UK | USA |
--------------------------------------------
Total count | 2789 | 387 |3789 |
Any help
Hi!
If I understand correctly, you can use the COUNTIF function to calculate the number of conditions. See here for explanations and examples: Excel COUNTIF function examples.
Hi, I am having two sheets in 1 sheet I have multiple dates entry with repeated same date as well and I want this multiple dates entry as a single date in another sheet same as pivot table works.
Hello!
Maybe this article will be helpful: How to remove duplicates in Excel. I recommend paying attention to Duplicate Remover - fast and efficient way to locate duplicates in Excel. It is available as a part of our Ultimate Suite for Excel that you can install in a trial mode and check how it works for free.
I am using Excel Sheets with Dates and I want to use vlookup() with dates formulas like this VLOOKUP(C7,'02-Jan-23'!$C:$H,6,0)+VLOOKUP(C7,'02-Jan-23'!$C:$K,9,0)-VLOOKUP(C7,'02-Jan-23'!$C:$I,7,0) in next dates sheets to get last dates' closing amounts in new sheets opening and I want to have these sheets names to be changed automatically. Like VLOOKUP(C7,'02-Jan-23-1'!$C:$H,6,0)+VLOOKUP(C7,'02-Jan-23-1'!$C:$K,9,0)-VLOOKUP(C7,'02-Jan-23-1'!$C:$I,7,0).
Please help me in this situation that how can I get it as in this way I am getting an error.
Hello!
To dynamically change the name of a worksheet, use the INDIRECT function. See detailed instructions and examples here: Creating an Excel dynamic reference to another sheet. I hope my advice will help you solve your task.
Hi sir,
Im working with two table. 1st table contains name, date enter, and date exit. The other table contains date, name, status1, status2.
My problem is for one person she has multiple of (date enter and date exit) which is from table 2 i need to find between the two dates the text that contains from status 1 and display the corresponding value which is from status 2.
Hi!
Sorry, I do not fully understand the task. What result do you want to get? Give an example of the source data and the expected result.
I'd recommend you to have a look at our Vlookup Wizard. This tool is part of Ablebits Ultimate Suite that includes 70+ professional tools and 300+ solutions. You can install it in a trial mode and check how it works for free.
Hi i would like to use vlookup across multiple worksheets to search for value X. All values will be unique and i would like to know if its possible for the vlookup formula to RETURN the sheet name and the location it obtained it from. Eg ( Sheet3!H14) if the data was obtained from that particular cell.
Hi!
Without seeing your data, it's impossible to give you a formula.
Use the combination OFFSET and MATCH to find the cell with the desired value. See an example here: OFFSET and VLOOKUP.
Then apply the CELL function to this cell with the "filename" argument to get the full address of the cell with the file and worksheet names.
I hope it’ll be helpful.
Hello- I am trying to find if one cell is present on multiple different tabs, each containing a different tab title. Can I conduct a vlookup where I receive an output in a cell with results separated by comma indicating that the tab(s) that cell is found on? Ex: Fruit Apple on maser list, but Apple appears on Tab 1, Tab 3, but not Tab 2. Can I receive an output in a cell on the Master list that says Tab 1, Tab 3?
Thank you.
Hi!
I'm really sorry, looks like this is not possible with the standard Excel options.
How to vlook up for multiple columns and 2 tables. I have to match 3 column values of table 1 with 3 different column values in table 2 and display the column 5 value of table 2 in table 1
Hi!
Based on your description, it is hard to completely understand your task. One VLOOKUP function can look up only one value. Maybe this article will be helpful: Vlookup multiple matches in Excel with one or more criteria. If this does not help, explain the problem in detail.
Hi all,
It is my very first time sharing a mind pickle I have with Excel, so please bare with me.
First of all I would like to thank for the great tutorial that is displayed! Very helpful!
So here is my pickle, so to speak:
Initially I have 20+ sheets containing different prices and different products, all of the data is structured the same on every sheet, e.g column A contains date, B - product name, C - price.
In my main sheet I have a table which I want to be able to have a drop down dependent list, which I have created.
E.g: If you select supplier X, you get the products that he is selling in the next cell.
Here is the tricky part (I used nested IFs, but as you may know the formula became almost the lenght from here to the moon):
When I select supplier X and it shoes the product, I want in another cell to have the price of the chosen product, based on the selected supplier.
Now i got arround this by using nested IFs with VLOOKUP, but the formula is too long and if I need to add a new sheet, I have to rewrite formula and namings and its a bit frustrating.
I tried using the INDIRECT, but some how I get a REF...
In biref I want to be able to select from a drop down a supplier on column A, on column B to be able to select the chosen suppliers's products, and on column C to have automatically filled the selected product price.
Do you have any advise on this?
Please let me know if you need any more info.
Thank you!
Hello!
If you want to find a price based on two criteria (supplier and product), then use INDEX+MATCH. You can also find useful information in this article: Excel INDEX MATCH with multiple criteria. I hope it’ll be helpful. If something is still unclear, please feel free to ask.
Dear Romanov (AsSalaam-u-Alaiykum - Peace be upon you)
You can use two or more drop down lists dependent on each other. I have used it somewhere but I forgot it now. But you can google it as I had done it through the same trick.
Thanks for this helpful article - I used the method with the below formula across multiple worksheets:
=VLOOKUP(X2, INDIRECT("'"&INDEX(Lookup_Sheets, MATCH(1, --(COUNTIF(INDIRECT("'" & Lookup_Sheets & "'!R$4:R$27"), X2)>0), 0)) & "'!R$4:AJ$27"), 16, FALSE)
The problem i am having is that where X2 (which is a comment/string of text) is long, the formula returns the error "VALUE"
When i reduce the characters in X2, it returns the correct lookup entry.
I have also tried changing to TRUE and also tried adding X2&"*" but none of these work either.
For further context, X2 is a sheet of data pull from a software system, each row is allocated to a specific team (separate sheets) where X2 is replicated in R4:R27. On each team sheet, a name is filled out in a colum to the right of this data. I need those people's names to "match" and populate on the original data pull sheet for summary. Not sure if the error lies within the original data sheet or the separate sheets they are being duplicated on.
Is there any way around this please?
Hello!
VLOOKUP cannot search for values with more than 255 characters. Read about it in more detail here: #VALUE! error in VLOOKUP formulas.
In this case, you can use the INDEX+MATCH function to look up values.
I hope this will help.
Hi,
Thank you for providing these helpful tips.
I would like to know if there is a way to lookup a maximum value across multiple sheets? We have data updated every month and trying to set up a consolidated spreadsheet pulling information from monthly updated spreadsheets. Is it possible. Very much appreciated if you could please share your ideas.
Thanks.
Hello!
To work with updatable data across multiple sheets, I recommend using a Pivot Table. You can set up a pivot table field to get the maximum value.
I hope I answered your question. If something is still unclear, please feel free to ask.
Hi, how can I vlook up in 12 sheets it always says entered top many arguments
Hi!
What formula are you using? You may have entered too many arguments in the function.
HI
Under your title Vlookup multiple sheets with INDIRECT
you havent defined what is "Sheet_list"
Kind Regards
Maurice
Hi Maurice,
My bad. Actually, there is no "Sheet_list" in the formula. It's just another name for the Lookup_sheets named range. Initially, I named it "Sheet_list", then changed the name to "Lookup_sheets", but failed to replace one instance in the generic formula. Sorry for that.
Anyway, the formula is fixed now. Thank you for pointing our that mistake!
Hi Milosz
Have two spreadsheets with multiple rows. Each row has a unique ID, pay component code and amount. I am try to do a v-lookup between the spreads to check the the amounts against each pay component match.
Please can you tell if any of the above would work in this scenario or do I need todo something completely different?
Thanks
Becky
Hello!
To search between two tables you can use this tutorial for VLOOKUP function: Excel VLOOKUP function tutorial with formula examples.
I hope it’ll be helpful. If something is still unclear, please feel free to ask.
Hi,. Thanks for this very good article on Vlookup function. Sir, my problem is that there are four sheets: East, West, north and south having table array: A1:D10, D5:G14, B3:E12 and C4:F13 respectively with four columns of Student I'd, student name, age and father name how we can extract data of student name,age and father name against students I'd at result sheet dynamically with indirect and match function.
Hello!
Have you tried the ways described in this blog post? If they don’t work for you, then please describe your task in detail, I’ll try to suggest a solution.