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This article describes the RPA Excel functionality to look up values across columns.
For a full list of available functions, please read EXCEL functions.
Description
The VLOOKUP across columns function looks up each value in a lookup column, finds the matching row in a match column, and fills in the corresponding value from a return column. This is similar to Excel’s VLOOKUP formula but operates on entire columns at once.
Example
With a lookup column "Product ID", match column "ID" on another sheet, and return column "Price":
| Product ID (lookup) | ID (match) | Price (return) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| A001 | A001 | 19.99 | 19.99 |
| A002 | A002 | 29.99 | 29.99 |
| A003 | A003 | 9.99 | 9.99 |
Setting it up
To use the VLOOKUP function, follow these instructions:
{{popups:rpas/add:action=excel-vlookup}}
Once on a process map:
- Navigate to the process where you would like to add the function
- Click on the green button’s drop-down
- Click on “+ Activity”
- Select the EXCEL VLOOKUP across columns option
- Click "Add" once you are done
Input parameters
| Parameter | Required | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lookup column | Yes | Text | - | The column containing the values to look up |
| Match column | Yes | Text | - | The column to search for matching values |
| Return column | Yes | Text | - | The column from which to return the corresponding value |
Output
This function does not return a value. It fills the lookup column’s corresponding cells with values from the return column.
Tips
- The match and return columns can be on a different sheet – reference them as Sheet!Column
- If no match is found, the cell is left blank
- Matching is exact (case-insensitive)