excel - Vlookup returns N/A despite of existing match

Excel - Vlookup returns N/A despite of existing match

If your VLOOKUP function is returning #N/A (Not Available) even when there seems to be a match, there are several common reasons for this behavior. Here are some troubleshooting steps to identify and fix the issue:

  1. Data Type Mismatch: Ensure that the data types in the lookup column and the target column match. If one of them is text and the other is a number, or if there are leading/trailing spaces, the match might fail. You can use the TRIM function to remove leading/trailing spaces.

    Example:

    =VLOOKUP(TRIM(A2), B:C, 2, FALSE)

  2. Exact Match Requirement: VLOOKUP with the fourth argument set to FALSE requires an exact match. Check if the values in the lookup column and the target column are exactly the same, including any extra spaces.

  3. Sorting Order: If the data in the lookup range is not sorted in ascending order, or if it is sorted in a different order than the target range, VLOOKUP might not work as expected. Consider using SORT or SORTBY functions to ensure proper sorting.

    Example:

    =VLOOKUP(A2, SORT(B:C, 1, TRUE), 2, FALSE)

  4. Hidden Characters: There might be hidden characters in the cells that are not visible. Try cleaning up the data using the CLEAN function.

    Example:

    =VLOOKUP(CLEAN(A2), B:C, 2, FALSE)

  5. Error Handling: Use the IFERROR function to handle errors and provide a custom message when the VLOOKUP fails.

    Example:

    =IFERROR(VLOOKUP(A2, B:C, 2, FALSE), "Not Found")

  6. Check for Errors: Manually inspect the data and see if there are any discrepancies between the lookup and target ranges. Verify that the values in both ranges are as expected.

Examples

  1. "Excel VLOOKUP N/A error"

    • Code Implementation:
      =IFERROR(VLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num, FALSE), "Not Found")
    • Description: This formula uses IFERROR to handle the #N/A error returned by VLOOKUP, replacing it with a custom message.

  2. "VLOOKUP not finding match"

    • Code Implementation:
      =VLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num, FALSE)
    • Description: Check the parameters of your VLOOKUP function, ensure that the lookup value exists in the specified range, and that the last parameter is set to FALSE for an exact match.

  3. "Excel VLOOKUP troubleshooting"

    • Code Implementation:
      =IF(ISERROR(VLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num, FALSE)), "Not Found", VLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num, FALSE))
    • Description: This formula combines ISERROR and IF functions to display a custom message if there's an error in the VLOOKUP.

  4. "VLOOKUP not working with numbers"

    • Code Implementation:
      =VLOOKUP(TEXT(lookup_value, "0"), table_array, col_index_num, FALSE)
    • Description: Convert the lookup value to text using the TEXT function to address issues when working with numeric values in VLOOKUP.

  5. "Excel VLOOKUP troubleshooting steps"

    • Code Implementation:
      =INDEX(return_range, MATCH(lookup_value, lookup_range, 0))
    • Description: An alternative to VLOOKUP using INDEX and MATCH, which can sometimes be more robust.

  6. "VLOOKUP returning wrong value"

    • Code Implementation:
      =VLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num, TRUE)
    • Description: Use TRUE as the last parameter to enable approximate matching, which might be suitable for situations where an exact match is not found.

  7. "Excel VLOOKUP not updating"

    • Code Implementation:
      =VLOOKUP(lookup_value, OFFSET(table_array, 0, 0, COUNTA(table_array), COLUMNS(table_array)), col_index_num, FALSE)
    • Description: Use the OFFSET function to dynamically adjust the table_array based on the number of non-empty cells, ensuring updates are captured.

  8. "VLOOKUP and merged cells issue"

    • Code Implementation:
      =VLOOKUP(lookup_value, UNMERGE(table_array), col_index_num, FALSE)
    • Description: Use the UNMERGE function to address problems with VLOOKUP in merged cells.

  9. "Excel VLOOKUP with multiple criteria"

    • Code Implementation:
      =VLOOKUP(lookup_value1 & lookup_value2, table_array, col_index_num, FALSE)
    • Description: Concatenate multiple criteria in the lookup value to perform a VLOOKUP with multiple conditions.

  10. "VLOOKUP case-sensitive"

    • Code Implementation:
      =VLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num, EXACT(lookup_value, table_array))
    • Description: Use the EXACT function to make the VLOOKUP case-sensitive.

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