The Lookup Function
Say your company offers a bonus for meeting sales goals. The bonus will be calculated as a percent of the sales. The best way to calculate the bonus is to look up the answer in a Table. Excel calls this the Lookup function. A vertical, or VLookup uses the values in the columns. A horizontal, or HLookup, uses the data in rows.
Microsoft Office is most effective when the tasks are strung together in a sequence. It is how we process our work: many little steps one after the other. Today’s post presents the Dynamic Duo: vLook and the Logical Function IF. This will be fun.
My Approach
As a database designer, I think of Excel as a “Prequel” to Access. The data in Excel and Access is the same, they can be linked. So the data should be normalized in both. There should be a Table for each type of information. In this example, there will be a Table for the Bonus (VLOOKUP). Then we can look up the right answer in the Tables.
Create the Lookup Table in Excel
Here is a YouTube video that demonstrates all of these steps that you can watch if you wish: Intermediate Excel: Using Lookup Tables
Can these formulas be used with the other Logical Options: And, Or, Not? Absolutely. But that is new story for another day.
Master Microsoft Excel
Being proficient means knowing how to complete the task quickly and effectively.
Keep going with Microsoft Excel.
Microsoft Excel is an important Middle Technical Skill. It is a key requirement in many jobs.
Good question. Thank you to the people who invited me to post an answer on Quora. eBeth
