IF VLOOKUP: Functions, Examples, and How to Use It in Excel - Compute Expert

IF VLOOKUP: Functions, Examples, and How to Use It in Excel


Home >> Excel Tutorials from Compute Expert >> Excel Formulas List >> IF VLOOKUP: Functions, Examples, and How to Use It in Excel





In this tutorial, you will learn how to combine IF and VLOOKUP functions properly in excel.

When working in excel, we might sometimes need to get our data lookup result based on a particular value. If we know how to combine IF and VLOOKUP functions in excel, then we might be able to do that easier.

Want to know more about IF VLOOKUP and master the way to use them in one formula writing in excel? Read this tutorial until its last part!

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links from which we earn commission from qualifying purchases/actions at no additional cost for you. Learn more

Want to work faster and easier in Excel? Install and use Excel add-ins! Read this article to know the best Excel add-ins to use according to us!

Learn Excel Dashboard Course






How to Use IF VLOOKUP 1: Find Data for a Particular Value

When looking up data in excel using VLOOKUP, we might sometimes want to be dynamic depending on a cell value.

If the cell value is this, then we want to VLOOKUP like this. If the cell value is that, then we want to VLOOKUP like that. For this kind of situation, we can combine IF and VLOOKUP to help us get the result we want.

Here is the general writing form of the IF and VLOOKUP combination for this purpose.

= IF ( cell = value , VLOOKUP ( lookup_value1 , reference_range1 , result_column_index1 , [ lookup_mode1 ] ) , VLOOKUP ( lookup_value2 , reference_range2 , result_column_index2 , [ lookup_mode2 ] )


By combining IF and VLOOKUP like this, we can do our VLOOKUP based on our cell value. We can differentiate the VLOOKUP inputs and get different results depending on whether the cell contains our preferred value or not.

To better understand the concept, here is its implementation example in excel.

IF VLOOKUP: Functions, Examples, and How to Use It in Excel - Screenshot of the IF VLOOKUP Implementation Example to Find Data for a Particular Cell Value

As you can see in the example, we have a reference table with one sales quantity column for each branch. There are two branches here and we might want to find our sales quantity data from either one of them.



If we combine IF and VLOOKUP, then we can determine from which branch we get the number of our sales easily. Just input a cell containing the branch from which we want to get the number of our sales to our IF. Next, input a VLOOKUP that looks up for the branch’s sales quantity and a VLOOKUP that looks up for another branch.

By doing that, we can just change our cell value to another branch to get its sales quantity. Here is what happens if we change the branch cell value in the example to “Branch 2”.

IF VLOOKUP: Functions, Examples, and How to Use It in Excel - Screenshot of the Example of the Cell Value Change Impact to the IF VLOOKUP Result

If you need more than two VLOOKUP alternatives, just nest your IFs according to the number of VLOOKUPs you need.



How to Use IF VLOOKUP 2: Produce a Result for a Particular Data Find

Another function of the IF and VLOOKUP combination is to produce a result from a particular VLOOKUP data find.

If you need this function, you just need to write the VLOOKUP in the logic condition input part of the IF. Compares it with the data find you expect from the VLOOKUP.

If the comparison is correct, then the IF will produce its TRUE result. If it isn’t, then the IF will produce its FALSE result.

Here is the general writing form of the IF and VLOOKUP combination for this purpose.

= IF ( VLOOKUP ( lookup_value , reference_range , result_column_index , [ lookup_mode ] ) = data , result_if_true , result_if_false )


And here is its implementation example in excel.

IF VLOOKUP: Functions, Examples, and How to Use It in Excel - Screenshot of the IF VLOOKUP Implementation to Produce a Particular Result for a Specific Data Find

In the example, we want to mark the test score we find with “pass” or “fail”. If the test score is equal to or more than 80, then we mark it with “pass”. If it is lower than 80, then we mark it with “fail”.



Thus, we use VLOOKUP to find the test score inside the IF and compares its result with 80. As the logic condition we input there is equal to or more than 80, the IF true result is “pass”. On the other hand, input “fail” as the IF false result.

By combining the IF and VLOOKUP like that, we immediately get the correct mark for Patrick’s test score in the example!


Exercise

After you have learned how to use IF VLOOKUP in excel completely, now let’s do an exercise. This is so you can understand the lessons from this tutorial more practically.

Download the exercise file and answer all the following questions. Download the answer key file if you have done the exercise and want to check your answers.

Link to the exercise file:
Download here

Questions

Combine IF and VLOOKUP to get your answers! Answer in the appropriate gray-colored cell according to the question number.
  1. How many inventories does apple have in region B?
  2. How many inventories does apple have in region A? Use the same formula writing as the one you use in question no. 1 except for the region cell!
  3. If the inventory quantity is less than 750, then we should mark it as “Needs More Stock”. Otherwise, we should mark it as “OK”.

    What is the mark for the inventory quantity of guava in region B?

Link to the answer key file:
Download here



Additional Note

If you have excel 2019 or a later excel version, you can also combine your VLOOKUP with IFS instead of IF. This combination might be better for you, especially if you have more than two VLOOKUP alternatives to consider.



Related tutorials you should learn from:



Want to Learn More About Excel?


Get updated excel info from Compute Expert by registering your email. It's free!





Want to Learn More About Excel?


Get updated excel info from Compute Expert by registering your email. It's free!




Learn Excel Dashboard Course

Follow our tutorial content also on


Excel Calculation

Sum in Excel

Subtraction in Excel

Multiplication in Excel

Division in Excel

Average in Excel



Excel Formula

VLOOKUP Function in Excel

IF Function in Excel

SUM Function in Excel

COUNTIFS Function in Excel

SUMIFS Function in Excel



Excel Tips and Trick

How to Print in Excel

Convert Number to Text in Excel

Excel Worksheet Definition

Excel Range Definition

Excel Shortcuts



Excel Products & Services Recommendation

Best Laptops for Excel

Best Tablets for Excel

Best Keyboards for Excel

Best Mouse for Excel

Best Monitors for Excel



Excel Consultation

Recommended Things

About Us

Contact Us

Privacy Policy

Affiliate Disclosure

Terms & Condition



© 2024 Compute Expert