V lookup and H lookup

Have you wondered how to look out for data whether vertical and horizontal? This blog will stimulate all excel users. We will focus on Vlookup and Hlookup. Let's get started with basic definitions. Vlookup is an excel function that helps to search a particular value from a table array and return a value from a different column in the same row. While Hlookup searches for a particular value from a table array and returns a value from the different rows in the same column. Vlookup stands for Vertical lookup while Hlookup stands for Horizontal lookup.

Many excel users argue about the superiority of index match over the v&h lookup functions. I believe that index match is much faster than lookup functions. The match function is to search lookup values which are then passed to Index and you will get the desired data. If you use Index match it will give you an advantage of getting only the index number which is not the case with v&h lookup functions. Index match is more flexible than lookup functions. No doubt v&h lookup functions are easy to use but they won't work in every situation like if you add or delete any new column or row it will hamper your results. V&H lookup functions use few arguments compared to Index match. 

Vlookup consist of four arguments which are quite similar to Hlookup-

• Lookup value is the value you are looking for.
• Table array is the data range in which you want to find the value and return it.
• The column Index number is the number of the column that contains the return value.
• Range lookup actually helps to get an exact match or approximate match by selecting 1 and 0 respectively.

Let's focus on the arguments used in Index-

• An array is a range of cells.
• Row number is the position of the row in the range of cells.
• The column number is the position of the column in the cell range.
• Area number is the range of reference which is to be used.

Arguments used in Match-

• Lookup value is the value we are looking for.
• Lookup array is the range of cells that contain the lookup value.
• Match type is the argument used for an exact match or approximate match.

In the end, I would say that Vlookup and Hlookup are more popular and easy to use as compared to Index Match but it comes with certain limitations. Consider a scenario where you need to perform a matrix lookup and if you don't know Index Match then lookup functions can come to your rescue but it can be a tedious process. 

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