Capstone Instructions: Excel 365/2019 – Level 3 Working with Sales Data Alternative with VLOOKUP
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Correct Answer:
To complete the Capstone project “Working with Sales Data Alternative with VLOOKUP” in Excel 365/2019 – Level 3, you must use the VLOOKUP function to retrieve specific data from a table. The correct syntax of the VLOOKUP function is:
excelCopyEdit=VLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num, [range_lookup])
For example, if you are asked to find the sales figure for a specific salesperson based on their ID, and that data is stored in a table from cell range A2:D20, the function could be:
excelCopyEdit=VLOOKUP("S105", A2:D20, 4, FALSE)
This formula looks up the ID “S105” in the first column of the range A2:D20 and returns the value in the fourth column of that same row.
Explanation:
The VLOOKUP function is one of Excel’s most useful tools for searching data vertically within a column. It is commonly used when working with structured datasets, such as sales records, employee directories, or product inventories. In the context of the Capstone project “Working with Sales Data,” VLOOKUP helps you locate and extract relevant information, such as total sales, regions, or commissions based on unique identifiers like salesperson ID or product codes.
When using VLOOKUP, the first argument is the value you want to find. The second argument defines the range where Excel will search. It is important that the value you want to look up is in the first column of the range. The third argument is the column index number, which tells Excel which column’s value to return from the matched row. The last argument determines whether Excel should look for an approximate match (TRUE) or an exact match (FALSE). For sales data, you usually want an exact match, so use FALSE.
While powerful, VLOOKUP has limitations. It only searches from left to right and cannot return a value from a column to the left of the lookup column. For more flexibility, INDEX and MATCH or XLOOKUP (in newer versions) are recommended alternatives. Still, VLOOKUP remains essential for basic lookup tasks in Excel.
