🟠 Advanced 12 minadvanced path
INDEX and MATCH
Before XLOOKUP, INDEX/MATCH was the flexible lookup combo. Still essential — it appears in nearly every legacy workbook.
Learning objectives
- Combine INDEX and MATCH to look up in any direction.
Step-by-step
1. INDEX
=INDEX(array, row_num, [col_num]) returns a value from a grid. INDEX(A2:A100, 5) is the 5th name.
2. MATCH
=MATCH(lookup, lookup_array, 0) returns the position of the lookup value. 0 = exact match.
3. Combined
=INDEX(Prices, MATCH(A2, SKUs, 0)) — MATCH finds the row, INDEX returns the value.
Key takeaways
- Combine INDEX and MATCH to look up in any direction.
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