HLOOKUP

Read this HLOOKUP example

Start with the business need: Return a monthly budget value from a horizontal plan. Read each argument, reference, field, or control in the example before copying it into a larger model.

=HLOOKUP(B1,B4:M8,3,FALSE)

The HLOOKUP mistake to catch

Transposing data only to use HLOOKUP creates unnecessary complexity. Prefer a structure suited to future growth.

HLOOKUP: what Excel is actually doing

HLOOKUP searches across the first row and returns from a specified row below. It is appropriate for genuinely horizontal reference tables, though vertical tables are usually easier to maintain.

Your desk challenge for lesson 34

Identify whether the lookup key is stored in a row or a column before choosing HLOOKUP or VLOOKUP.

• Identify the lookup value and the authoritative reference table.
• Decide whether the match must be exact or approximate.
• Test a known match, a missing value, and a duplicate key.