How to Use VLOOKUP in Google Sheets: A Straightforward Guide with Formula Foundry

VLOOKUP is handy for grabbing data from a table based on a key – like finding a price from a product ID. But it often trips people up with errors like #N/A or wrong returns, leading to endless searches for fixes.

Formula Foundry simplifies this by turning it into a visual process in the sidebar. No more memorizing arguments; just fill in fields and insert. Here’s a detailed walkthrough, including a sample scenario to make it concrete.

First, grab the extension from the Chrome Web Store, install it, and open your Google Sheet. Click the Formula Foundry icon to bring up the draggable panel.

Sample Scenario: Building a Product Lookup

Imagine you have a sheet with product data: Column A has IDs (e.g., P001), B has names, C has prices. In another tab, you list orders with IDs in column B, and you want prices in C.

We’ll use VLOOKUP to pull prices based on IDs.

Step 1: Open the VLOOKUP Builder

In the panel, go to the dropdown (under the green arrow) and select VLOOKUP. The form loads with labeled fields: Search For, In the Range, Return from Column Index, and Match Type. A preview bar at the bottom shows the building formula in real-time.

If you’re in a new tab, it might default to Tab 1 – switch as needed.

Step 2: Enter the Search For Value

This is your lookup key. In our example, it’s the order ID in B2.

Click the “Search For” field (it has a subtle highlight when active).
Type B2, or better: Use the “Pull from Cell” button (green pipette icon) — select B2 in your sheet, and it auto-fills.
Watch the preview start: =VLOOKUP(B2, …

This keeps it dynamic—if B2 changes, the formula updates.

Step 3: Define the Range

Your data table goes here. For us: Products!A2:C100 (assuming products sheet, rows 2-100, columns A-C).

Enter the range directly; the field suggests formats like Sheet1!A1:B10.
Or click “Cell Address” to select the top-left and bottom-right cells—it fills automatically.
UI tip: If invalid (e.g., missing sheet), it underlines red with a tooltip.

Preview now: =VLOOKUP(B2, Products!A2:C100, …

Make sure the first column (A) has your keys—VLOOKUP always looks there.

Step 4: Set the Column Index

Which column to return? Prices are in C, the third column, so enter 3.

Use the number input—arrows let you spin up/down.
Preview highlights this part, often in a different color for clarity.

Full so far: =VLOOKUP(B2, Products!A2:C100, 3, …

Step 5: Pick Match Type and Insert

Toggle: Exact Match (default, adds FALSE—use for IDs) or Approximate (TRUE—for sorted lists like tax brackets).

For our exact IDs, keep Exact.
The toggle buttons are side-by-side; selected one fills green.
Final preview: =VLOOKUP(B2, Products!A2:C100, 3, FALSE)

Hit the green “Insert” button—it places the formula in your active cell (e.g., C2). Drag down to apply to more rows.

Troubleshooting Common Problems

#N/A Showing Up? Means no match. Check spelling/case in keys. Fix: Use the AI Assistant (in Formula Foundry panel) — prompt “Wrap this VLOOKUP in IFNA to show ‘Missing’ instead.”
Wrong Value? Column index off? Count again—includes the key column as 1.
Range Too Small? Expand it; FF’s picker helps avoid this.
Slow on Big Data? VLOOKUP scans linearly—switch to INDEX/MATCH for speed, which FF can build similarly.

For multi-criteria (e.g., ID + Date), nest with FILTER or use XLOOKUP—Formula Foundry has builders for those too.

Alternatives When VLOOKUP Isn’t Ideal

If your key isn’t in the first column, try XLOOKUP (Sheets supports it now). FF’s builder is similar: More fields for flexibility, like search mode.

Or QUERY for SQL-like pulls: “SELECT C WHERE A = ‘”&B2&”‘”

7 Tips for Better VLOOKUPs

Always use exact match unless data’s sorted ascending.
Lock ranges ($A$2:$C$100) to copy formulas without shifts.
Test on a small subset first—easier to spot issues.
Combine with TRIM for cleaning whitespace in keys.
Use ARRAYFORMULA(=ARRAYFORMULA(VLOOKUP(B2:B, …))) for whole columns.
Preview in FF catches syntax before insert.
Define ranges as variables in FF for easy global changes.

FAQ

Q: VLOOKUP vs XLOOKUP?

A: XLOOKUP handles left lookups and defaults to exact—FF can convert your VLOOKUP to it.

Q: Works on big datasets?

A: Up to Sheets’ limits, but optimize ranges to avoid lag.

Q: How to undo an insert?

A: Standard Ctrl+Z; FF doesn’t touch data.

Q: Approximate for prices?

A: Avoid it—can round wrong; exact is safer.

This covers the basics and beyond—should help you avoid common pitfalls. Head to Formula Foundry for a try.