What does it do?

Searches the row position of a value/text in one column (using the MATCH function)
and returns the value/text in the same row position from another column to the left or right (using the INDEX function)

Formula breakdown:

=INDEX(array, MATCH(lookup_value, lookup_array, [match_type])

What it means:

=INDEX(return the value/text, MATCH(from the row position of this value/text))


The VLOOKUP formula searches for a value in the first column of an array and returns a value to the right of that array.

How about if you wanted to return a value to the left hand side of that array?

Well, this is where the INDEX-MATCH formula comes in and gives you a helping hand!

It searches the row position of a value/text in one column (using the MATCH function) and returns the value/text in the same row position from another column to the left or right (using the INDEX function).

How To Use INDEX-MATCH Formula | MyExcelOnline

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We want to get the stock id of the tablet, and we will use a combination of INDEX and MATCH to get this!

STEP 1: We need to enter the INDEX function in a blank cell:

=INDEX(

Index-Match formula

 

STEP 2: The INDEX arguments:

Array

Where is the list that contains the stock ids?

=INDEX(B13:B17,

Index-Match formula

Row_num

What row number contains the data?

Let us use the Match function to get the row number.

=INDEX(B13:B17, MATCH(

Index-Match formula

 

STEP 3: The MATCH arguments:

Lookup_value

What is the value that we want to match?

We want to match the Tablet.

=INDEX(B13:B17, MATCH(G14,

Index-Match formula

Lookup_array

Where is the list that contains the stock items?

=INDEX(B13:B17, MATCH(G14, C13:C17,

Index-Match formula

Match_type

What kind of matching do you want?

Let’s put in 0 to get the exact match

=INDEX(B13:B17, MATCH(G14, C13:C17, 0))

Index-Match formula

With this, the MATCH function will get the row number containing the Tablet, which is row #3. Then with Row #3, we will get the stock id in that same row using the INDEX function.

Index-Match formula

 

How to Use the Index-Match Formula in Excel

 

 

 

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