MS Excel: HLookup Function

In Excel, the HLookup function searches for value in the top row of table_array and returns the value in the same column based on the index_number.

The syntax for the HLookup function is:

HLookup( value, table_array, index_number, not_exact_match )

value is the value to search for in the first row of the table_array.

table_array is two or more rows of data that is sorted in ascending order.

index_number is the row number in table_array from which the matching value must be returned. The first row is 1.

not_exact_match determines if you are looking for an exact match based on value. Enter FALSE to find an exact match. Enter TRUE to find an approximate match, which means that if an exact match if not found, then the HLookup function will look for the next largest value that is less than value.


Note:

If index_number is less than 1, the HLookup function will return #VALUE!.

If index_number is greater than the number of columns in table_array, the HLookup function will return #REF!.

If you enter FALSE for the not_exact_match parameter and no exact match is found, then the HLookup function will return #N/A.


Applies To:

  • Excel 2007, Excel 2003, Excel XP, Excel 2000

For example:

Let's take a look at an example:

Based on the Excel spreadsheet above:

=HLookup(10251, A1:K3, 2, FALSE) would return $16.80
=HLookup(10251, A1:K3, 3, FALSE) would return 6
=HLookup(10248, A1:K3, 2, FALSE) would return #N/A
=HLookup(10248, A1:K3, 2, TRUE) would return $14.00