Difference Between VLOOKUP and XLOOKUP Function in Excel.

What is VLOOKUP ?

VLOOKUP is a handy function in Excel that allows you to search for a specific value in the first column of a table and retrieve a related value from another column in the same row. The name stands for "Vertical Lookup," making it a great tool for quickly locating data in large datasets—like checking a product's price by its ID number. To use it, you'll need to set the lookup_value, the table_array, the column_index_number from which you want the data, and indicate whether you want an exact or approximate match.

VLOOKUP function arguments

The basic syntax is =VLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num, [range_lookup]).

lookup_value: The value you want to find.

table_array: The range of cells that contains the data you need to search.

col_index_num: The column number within the table_array from which to return a value. The first column in the array is 1.

[range_lookup]: An optional argument that specifies whether you want an exact match or an approximate match.

FALSE or () for an exact match.

TRUE or 1 for an approximate match (requires the first column to be sorted). 

What is XLOOKUP ?

XLOOKUP is an advanced function in Excel that locates a match within a specified range or array and retrieves the corresponding item from another range or array. This function serves as a versatile alternative to traditional functions such as VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP, as it is capable of searching both vertically and horizontally, returning results from either side of the lookup column, and offers greater flexibility in managing mismatches.

Features of XLOOKUP

Flexible direction: Searches in any direction, making it more versatile than VLOOKUP (which can only search vertically) or HLOOKUP (which can only search horizontally).

Return column flexibility: The column you want to return results from can be to the left or right of the lookup column, unlike VLOOKUP.

Exact match by default: By default, it looks for an exact match, and you can set it to find the closest match if an exact one isn't found.

Handles #N/A errors: You can specify a custom value to return if no match is found, which prevents the #N/A error.

Simple syntax: The basic syntax is =XLOOKUP(lookup_value, lookup_array, return_array). 

Basic syntax

lookup_value: The value to search for.
lookup_array: The range or array to search within.
return_array: The range or array that contains the values to return.
[if_not_found]: (Optional) The value to return if no match is found. If omitted and no match is found, an #N/A error is returned.
[match_mode]: (Optional) Specifies the type of match. Default is 0 (exact match).
[search_mode]: (Optional) Specifies the search order. Default is 1 (search from first to last).