How to…

Use VLOOKUP
Across Multiple Excel Workbooks

Step 1

Select the first cell of the column you

want to populate.

Step 2

Type in: =VLOOKUP(

into the selected cell.

Step 3

Select or type in the name of the cell

that contains the value you will look up
as a reference point in the other Excel
Workbook, followed by a comma.
Step 4

Open the other workbook with the

desired data, then click and drag to
select the array of cells where you want
the function to look for information
(including your “reference” value,
desired values, and additional columns
between).
When finished, type a comma into your
function to move on to next section.

Step 5

Type the column index number into your

function, followed by a comma.
The column index number indicates
which column of the previously selected
array contains the values desired for
populating your table cells. (Column A is
indexed as a 1, Column B is a 2,
Column C is a 3, and so on…)
Step 6

If prompted with a mini dropdown menu,

double-click the FALSE – Exact match
label. Or, simply type the word FALSE
for an exact match of data. (Only select
or type TRUE if you want rounded or
approximated values to populate the
cells.)
Then, finish the function formula by
typing the end parentheses brace, and
then press Enter.

Step 7
Hover cursor
over bottom
right corner of
cell with
completed
function
formula, and
then click, hold,
and drag down to
select all the cells
that you want this
formula applied to.
(The formula will be applied to the
selected cells in a relative manner, with
the Lookup Value automatically adjusted
to match the selected row.)
 Essential Terms

VLOOKUP – Refers to “Vertical”

LOOKUP

lookup_value – Part of the formula that

indicates which value you want the
function to look for as a reference point
that will indicate where your desired
data is

table_array – Part of the formula in

which you indicate/select an array of
cells in which the formula will look for
information (i.e. where the formula will
look for information such as your
referenced lookup value and your
desired data)

col_index_num – Part of the formula in

which you indicate, as a number, which
column of the table array contains the
data desired to populate your formula
cell

Visit the associated video guide on

YouTube for additional assistance:
“Excel VLOOKUP With Multiple
Workbooks”
https://goo.gl/32PNfH
(website URL is case sensitive)