Two Dimensional Lookup Arrays in Excel

When working with large data sets in Excel, it can be challenging to quickly find and retrieve specific information. One way to address this challenge is by using two dimensional lookup arrays.

Two dimensional lookup arrays allow you to search for data using both row and column values. This is particularly useful when you have a table with multiple rows and columns and you want to locate a specific value based on its corresponding row and column headings.

To perform a two dimensional lookup in Excel, you can use the VLOOKUP or INDEX/MATCH functions. The VLOOKUP function allows you to search for a value in the leftmost column of a table and retrieve the corresponding value from a different column in the same row. The INDEX/MATCH functions combination provides more flexibility as it allows you to look for a value in any column and return a value from a different column in the same row.

To use VLOOKUP for a two dimensional lookup, you need to concatenate the row and column values into a single lookup value. For example, if you have a table with product names in the first column and months in the first row, you can use a formula like =VLOOKUP("ProductA"&"February",A1:E6,2,FALSE) to retrieve the value of ProductA in the month of February.

The INDEX/MATCH functions combination is a bit more complex but offers more flexibility. To perform a two dimensional lookup using INDEX/MATCH, you can use the MATCH function to find the position of the row and column headings and then use the INDEX function to retrieve the desired value. This allows you to search for a value in any column and return a value from a different column in the same row.

Two dimensional lookup arrays can be extremely useful in a variety of situations. Whether you're working with sales data, inventory records, or any other type of data with multiple dimensions, being able to efficiently retrieve specific information can save you time and effort.