Excel VLOOKUP. An EMIS Coordinator s Friend

Transcription

1 Excel VLOOKUP An EMIS Coordinator s Friend Vlookup, a function in excel, stands for Vertical Lookup. This function allows you to search a specific table of data, look for a match within the table of data and return a value into the cell containing the Vlookup statement. This document provides an example of how to utilize Vlookup to add the student last name into a spreadsheet based upon the student ID number. As long as there is a common field ( a field that matches between the 2 spreadsheets/worksheets), Vlookup can locate & return information from one sheet to the other.

2 Sample of FN Extract from Source Data: This file does not have any student names. Sample of GI Extract from Source Data: The student names are located in the GI file.

3 Import the Extract files containing the information you would like to work with into an Excel Spreadsheet by utilizing the Data > Import > Text > Fixed Width options. Refer to the help document on text files & Excel, if need be. In the Example,we are going to add the student last name as contained in the GI file to the Student s record in the FN file. Notice both files are open in Excel. For this example, each worksheet has been named to help clarify the steps in this help document. You may leave the default of sheet1, sheet2, etc. The name of the worksheet is irrelevant to the function.

4 1. Open the worksheet in which you want to add the Student Last Name into. 2. Locate or insert an empty column into this worksheet. a. I opted to insert a column after the student ID number. 3. Place your cursor in the 1 st cell that you would like to add/pull the student name into.

5 4. Click on the f* (Funtion) icon. a. This will open the Insert Function Window. 5. Type Vlookup in the Search Box & Click on Vlookup. The VLookup Function Argument Window will open. You can move the Window to the side to allow you to view your spreadsheet if necessary. 6. Make sure your cursor is in the Lookup_Value prompt.

6 7. Click on the cell in Row 1 that contains the field that has a match in the other spreadsheet. a. In this instance my key/match/lookup_value is the Student ID contained in Cell E1. b. Notice E1 was populated into the Function Argument Lookup_Value when I clicked in the cell. Next we have to tell VLookup where to find the Match and where the information is to pull into F1. 8. Click on the Table_array prompt in the Function Argument Window.

7 9. Click on the worksheet that contains the field to match to the lookup_value and the other information you want to add to the 1 st sheet. a. I am clicking on my 2 nd worksheet named GI_Extract_File. 10. Select the range of cells that contain the column of information to match on and include the columns with the information you want to pull into the 1 st sheet. a. Column E of the 2nd spreadsheet contains the Student ID numbers where Vlookup needs to locate the value from E1 of the 1st spreadsheet. b. It was a coincidence in this example that the student ID numbers are both in column E. c. I am selecting Columns E through L are selected and all rows in those Columns. The entire range in the example is E1:L542. TIP: To aid is selecting this block of cells, Hold down the Shift Key & Select E1 L1; then press the CTRL key and Arrow Down Key. Important Note: The first column of data selected for the Table_array must contain the match data. 11. Note what column number contains the field you want to pull. a. In this example Column L contains the student last names. b. This is 8 columns over from the first column in the Table_array.

8 The block of cells selected will populate the Table_array criteria. This range of cells must be anchored (made an absolute value) so the range will not change when the formula is copied to other cells. 12. Review the Table_array range in the Function Argument Window. a. If the Cell range does not contain $ then you must add them. 13. Insert $ before each Column Reference & before each Row Reference. a. To anchor the range E1:L542 becomes $E$1:$L$542

9 14. Click in the Col_index_num box in the Function Argument Window and enter the Column Number in the Table_array that contains the data to insert into the 1 st sheet. a. This is the Column Number noted in step Click in the Range_lookup box and enter false a. False tells Vlookup to find an exact match to the data in E1 on the 1 st worksheet. b. True attempts to find a close match not ideal for our use. 16. Click on OK to finish the Function Arguments.

10 Vlookup will search worksheet 2 (GI_Extract_File) Column E for student number until it finds an Exact Match. When an Exact Match is located the value located 8 Columns over from E in GI_Extract_File will be returned into worksheet 1 which is McNair.

11 Since you Anchored the Table_array, copy the Vlookup Command all the way down the column in the 1 st worksheet to pull the remainng student names. 17. Select the cell that contains the Vlookup Function. 18. Right Click & Select Copy. 19. Click into the empty cell below the cell with the Vlookup Function. 20. Right Click & Select Paste Special. 21. Select Function or f*

12 If the Menu doesn t show the icon for Function ( f*), you can utilize the Paste Special menu option The Function has copied into the next cell & located the next Student Last Name. Now you can copy the Function all the way down the Column. 22. Double Click on the handle located in the lower right corner of the cell. a. The handle is the little square. b. This will automatically copy the Vlookup function all the way down the column.

13 The value of N/A will be returned in any instance where a match is not found. Keep in mind that there is a formula behind each of the values returned. Therefore, any sorting or filtering of the data will distort the results after the Vlookup has been copied. If you want to keep the Vlookup value in the 1 st spreadsheet so you can manipulate the data at will, Copy & Paste Special > Value.