VLOOKUP vs. HLOOKUP: What’s the Difference?

Follow along as we demonstrate how to:

• Use VLOOKUP to perform vertical lookups in a table.
• Use HLOOKUP to perform horizontal lookups across rows.
• Apply these functions to real-world scenarios, like filling out a “Highest Scorers Per Subject” table.

By the end of this tutorial, you’ll be able to confidently choose the right lookup function for your needs and streamline your workflow in Excel. If this guide helps you, don’t forget to share it and subscribe for more Excel tips and tricks!

When working with data across multiple tables or datasets in Excel, understanding how to link and retrieve information is essential. VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP are two popular lookup functions, but they serve different purposes. In this post, we’ll explore their differences, when to use each, and how they can help you manage your data more effectively.

When to Use VLOOKUP

Let’s start by looking at a table titled “Highest Scores Per Subject.” We also have two additional tables: “Subject Listing” and “Student Grades.” Our goal is to fill out the “Highest Scores Per Subject” table by retrieving data from the other two tables.

Example: Filling Out the Subject Name

To find the subject name, we need to match the subject code in the “Highest Scores Per Subject” table with its corresponding value in the “Subject Listing” table. Here’s how:

1. Use the VLOOKUP function to find the subject code in the “Subject Listing” table.
2. Retrieve the second column (subject name) for the matching row.
3. Use 0 (or FALSE) to ensure an exact match.

Why VLOOKUP Works Here

The “V” in VLOOKUP stands for “Vertical.” This means the function searches for data in a column. In our case, the subject codes are arranged vertically in the “Subject Listing” table.

Key Takeaway: Use VLOOKUP when your data is organized in columns, and you need to retrieve information based on a vertical search.

When to Use HLOOKUP

Now, let’s fill out the “Highest Grade” and “Best Student” columns in the “Highest Scores Per Subject” table. For this, we’ll use the HLOOKUP function.

Example: Finding the Highest Grade and Best Student

1. Navigate to the “Student Grades” table, which lists subjects in rows across the top as headers.
2. Use HLOOKUP to find the subject name in the headers.
3. Retrieve the value in the desired row:

   • Row 7 for the highest grade.
   • Row 8 for the best student.

Why HLOOKUP Works Here

The “H” in HLOOKUP stands for “Horizontal.” This function searches for data in a row. In this example, we look for subject names in the top row of the “Student Grades” table and retrieve data from specific rows below.

Key Takeaway: Use HLOOKUP when your data is organized in rows, and you need to retrieve information based on a horizontal search.

VLOOKUP vs HLOOKUP: How to Choose

• Use VLOOKUP when you need to search vertically in a column.
• Use HLOOKUP when you need to search horizontally in a row.

By understanding the differences between these two functions, you can confidently manage and analyze data in Excel without errors or delays.

Final Thoughts

VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP are powerful tools for linking and retrieving data in Excel. Mastering when and how to use them can significantly improve your data management skills.

If this guide has clarified the differences between these two functions, share it with your team and explore more Excel tips on Wisdify. Happy data analyzing!