How to Use VLOOKUP in Google Sheets

Look up a value in one table and pull back a matching value from another column — the everyday "find the price for this product" job. Here's the syntax, a real example, and how to fix the #N/A you'll inevitably hit.

By the Quiriz Team · Published July 25, 2026 · 5 min read

The quick version: =VLOOKUP(A2, Products!A:C, 3, FALSE) takes the value in A2, finds it in the first column of the Products table, and returns the value from the 3rd column — an exact match. Here's each piece, plus the errors that trip everyone.

The syntax

=VLOOKUP(search_key, range, index, is_sorted)

search_key — what you're looking for (a cell or value).
range — the table to search. The search key must be in its first column.
index — which column to return, counting from 1.
is_sorted — use FALSE for an exact match. (Almost always FALSE.)

A worked example

Say Sheet "Products" has SKU in column A, name in B, price in C. On another sheet, to get the price for the SKU in A2:

=VLOOKUP(A2, Products!A:C, 3, FALSE)

VLOOKUP finds the SKU in column A of Products and returns column 3 (price). Copy it down to price a whole list.

Fixing #N/A

#N/A means "not found." The usual causes: a typo or trailing space, the search value isn't in the first column of your range, or you forgot FALSE. Show a cleaner message with IFNA:

=IFNA(VLOOKUP(A2, Products!A:C, 3, FALSE), "Not found")

VLOOKUP vs XLOOKUP

Google Sheets now has XLOOKUP, which is more forgiving — it can return a column to the left, defaults to exact match, and survives inserted columns: =XLOOKUP(A2, Products!A:A, Products!C:C). Use VLOOKUP for simple right-ward lookups, XLOOKUP when you need flexibility.

💡 Tip: if you reference the same VLOOKUP twice — say to return 0 when it's blank — store it once with LET: =LET(v, VLOOKUP(A2, Products!A:C, 3, FALSE), IF(v=0, 0, v)).

💬 Skip the formula: if you just want the number — "what's the price for SKU 4471?" — the Quiriz add-in answers it in the cell: =QUIRIZ("price for SKU 4471", "short"). No range, no column index, no #N/A.

Ask your sheet instead of looking it up

Quiriz answers questions about your Google Sheets data in plain English — right in the cell with =QUIRIZ(). Free to start.

Try Quiriz free →

Frequently asked questions

What is the syntax of VLOOKUP in Google Sheets?

=VLOOKUP(search_key, range, index, is_sorted). search_key is the value to find, range is the table to search (the search value must be in its first column), index is which column's value to return counting from 1, and is_sorted should be FALSE for an exact match.

How do I fix a #N/A error in VLOOKUP?

#N/A means the search key wasn't found. Check for typos or trailing spaces, make sure the search value is in the first column of your range, and use FALSE as the last argument for an exact match. Wrap it in IFNA to show a friendly message: =IFNA(VLOOKUP(...), "Not found").

Can VLOOKUP look to the left?

No — VLOOKUP only returns columns to the right of the search column. To look left, use INDEX/MATCH, or the newer XLOOKUP, which can return a column on either side.

Should I use VLOOKUP or XLOOKUP in Google Sheets?

XLOOKUP is now available in Google Sheets and is more flexible — it can look left, handles exact match by default, and doesn't break when columns are inserted. VLOOKUP is still fine for simple right-ward lookups and is more widely recognized.