Exact vs Approximate Match
Choose between TRUE and FALSE for the match type in VLOOKUP.
The Fourth Argument Matters
The last argument of VLOOKUP, range_lookup, decides how the search behaves. It is small but powerful:
- FALSE (or 0) means exact match
- TRUE (or 1) means approximate match
Choosing the wrong one is one of the most common spreadsheet mistakes. This lesson shows exactly when to use each.
=VLOOKUP(value, table, col, FALSE)Exact Match With FALSE
An exact match finds a value that matches precisely. If the value is not there, VLOOKUP returns the #N/A error rather than guessing.
Use FALSE when you are looking up unique identifiers like product codes, employee IDs, or email addresses, where only a perfect match is correct.
The table does not need to be sorted for an exact match. VLOOKUP scans until it finds the value.
=VLOOKUP("A100", A1:C4, 3, FALSE)All lessons in this course
- How VLOOKUP Searches a Table
- Exact vs Approximate Match
- Searching Across Rows With HLOOKUP
- Why VLOOKUP Sometimes Fails