Google Sheets VLOOKUP: How the SVERWEIS works

The VLOOKUP function makes it easy to assign values to a search term in Google Sheets documents. It works in the same way as the SVERWEIS in Excel

This is the VLOOKUP function in Google Sheets

In Google Sheets table documents, it may be necessary to find certain values and/or related information. So that the user does not always have to search through the entire document himself, he or she will find a practical function in VLOOKUP that provides support. Like SVERWEIS in Excel, VLOOKUP searches a defined area vertically and then outputs the value searched for, which can be found in the same row.

• VLOOKUP can be used to find both numbers and text content. However, to obtain the correct result, the search criterion must be unique. This means that the values may only occur once in the table
• If a value occurs more than once, the assignment is always based on the first occurrence of the value. As tables are searched from top to bottom with the VLOOKUP function, the function only ever finds the top value if there are several exact values.
• Where can VLOOKUP be used? Suppose there is an employee directory in which several pieces of information such as name, address and salary level are specified. The employees are not sorted according to their surnames, because there are similar names, but according to their personnel numbers. With VLOOKUP, the document can be set up so that only the personnel number has to be entered and all the information specified is displayed.

How VLOOKUP is structured

After entering the function in Google Sheets, a window appears that lists the respective components and provides application examples. The syntax of VLOOKUP is as follows:

• Search key: This defines the value to be searched for in the table. There are three possibilities: A reference to a cell containing a search value, a number or a text. The latter must be marked with quotation marks:

• Range: The entire range in which the search key and the values to be output are located is defined. The table must be created so that the search key is in the first column.

• Index: A number is used to specify the column within the range whose values are to be output. The number can be a maximum of the number of columns within the range.
• is_sorted]: This entry is optional and does not necessarily have to be made. However, it is essential for a text search. If you enter false or 0, the system searches for an exact match of the value. If, on the other hand, you enter true or 1, you will receive the results of the first value that is below the entered number if there is a non-exact match. To do this, however, the list must be sorted in ascending order.