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VLOOKUP is a powerful function in Excel that allows users to quickly retrieve information from a large data set based on a specific criteria. One of its useful features is the ability to return multiple matches, rather than just the first one it finds. This can be achieved by using the optional “TRUE” argument in the formula, which performs a fuzzy lookup and returns all matches found. This can be particularly helpful when dealing with large data sets with multiple entries that meet the same criteria. By using VLOOKUP to return all matches, users can efficiently gather and analyze data to make informed decisions and gain valuable insights.
Excel: Use VLOOKUP to Return All Matches
By default, the VLOOKUP function in Excel looks up some value in a range and returns a corresponding value only for the first match.
However, you can use the following syntax to look up some value in a range and return corresponding values for all matches:
=FILTER(C2:C11, E2=A2:A11)
This particular formula looks in the range C2:C11 and returns the corresponding values in the range A2:A11 for all rows where the value in C2:C11 is equal to E2.
The following example shows how to use this syntax in practice.
Example: Use VLOOKUP to Return All Matches
Suppose we have the following dataset in Excel that shows information about various basketball teams:
Suppose we use the following formula with VLOOKUP to look up the team “Rockets” in column A and return the corresponding points value in column C:
=VLOOKUP(E2, A2:C11, 3)
The following screenshot shows how to use this formula in practice:
The VLOOKUP function returns the value in the “Points” column for the first occurrence of Rockets in the “Team” column, but it fails to return the points values for the other two rows that also contain Rockets in the “Team” column.
To return the points values for all rows that contain Rockets in the “Team” column, we can use the FILTER function instead.
Here’s the exact formula we can use:
=FILTER(C2:C11, E2=A2:A11)
The following screenshot shows how to use this formula in practice:
Notice that the FILTER function returns all three points values for the three rows where the “Team” column contains Rockets.
Related:
Additional Resources
The following tutorials explain how to perform other common operations in Excel:
Cite this article
stats writer (2024). How can I use VLOOKUP to return all matches in Excel?. PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES. Retrieved from https://scales.arabpsychology.com/stats/how-can-i-use-vlookup-to-return-all-matches-in-excel/
stats writer. "How can I use VLOOKUP to return all matches in Excel?." PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES, 30 Jun. 2024, https://scales.arabpsychology.com/stats/how-can-i-use-vlookup-to-return-all-matches-in-excel/.
stats writer. "How can I use VLOOKUP to return all matches in Excel?." PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES, 2024. https://scales.arabpsychology.com/stats/how-can-i-use-vlookup-to-return-all-matches-in-excel/.
stats writer (2024) 'How can I use VLOOKUP to return all matches in Excel?', PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES. Available at: https://scales.arabpsychology.com/stats/how-can-i-use-vlookup-to-return-all-matches-in-excel/.
[1] stats writer, "How can I use VLOOKUP to return all matches in Excel?," PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES, vol. X, no. Y, ص Z-Z, June, 2024.
stats writer. How can I use VLOOKUP to return all matches in Excel?. PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES. 2024;vol(issue):pages.