Is there a match function in Google Sheets?
There are many functions in Google Sheets that help you perform data analysis. INDEX and MATCH functions are some examples. But what are they, exactly? Show INDEX-MATCH in Google Sheets combines two different functions, namely, INDEX and MATCH. The MATCH function returns the relative position of an item within an array. The INDEX function fetches an item from an array given a specific position. When combined, they can be used as a powerful alternative to VLOOKUP in Google Sheets, primarily because they allow you to do more kinds of lookups, e.g. a left-lookup. In this blog, you will learn how to use these functions. We will cover the following scenarios:
How to use the INDEX function in Google SheetsThe INDEX function allows you to obtain a value located at a specified position. It accepts a range of cells, index of the row, and index of the column, and returns the value of the specified cell. Now let’s take a look at how to use this function.
=INDEX(A1:A10,8,1)
Unlike the MATCH function, the INDEX function allows you to use a multidimensional array range. Let’s take a look at how to use a multidimensional array range in the formula. How to use the MATCH function in Google SheetsThe MATCH function in Google Sheets allows you to locate a specific value in your spreadsheet. It accepts a range of cells and a value and returns the relative position of that value in the specified range. Here’s how you can use this function. For the purpose of this blog, we’ve created a table containing two columns—one containing names of fruits and the other one vegetables. Let’s assume you want to find the position of ‘Mango’.
=MATCH("Mango", A1:A10, 0)
However, it’s important to note that the range for the MATCH function should be either a single row or a single column. You’ll get an error if you try to use a multi-dimensional array as your range. How to use INDEX and MATCH together in Google SheetsINDEX and MATCH when combined together can perform more advanced lookups in Google Sheets. This combination can also be used in place of lookup functions like HLOOKUP and VLOOKUP. For this section, we have added a new column containing a list of names in our previous table. Now assume you want to get the fruit eaten by a person named Margaret. This can be easily done by using the combination of INDEX and MATCH functions. Let’s see how.
=INDEX(A1:C10, MATCH("Margaret", A1:A10, 0),2)
Using VLOOKUPYou can also use VLOOKUP instead of INDEX and MATCH by using either of the following formulas. =VLOOKUP("Margaret",A1:C10,2,FALSE) =VLOOKUP(A6,A1:C10,2,FALSE) Here, your first argument could either be the value or a cell reference to the value. In the first example, "Margaret" is the value. In the second example, A6 is the cell reference to the value "Margaret". Then, A1:C10 is the range and 2is the column number of the value to be returned. FALSE indicates that the column to be searched is not sorted. TRUE would indicate that the column is sorted in ascending order. This is how it would look like for the first example: This is how it would look like for the second example: However, VLOOKUP cannot be used when the lookup value is to the left of the value that needs to be returned. For example, say we want to find the name of the person who eats Mushrooms. We can use INDEX and MATCH to get the desired value by using the following formula: =INDEX(A1:C10, MATCH("Mushroom", C1:C10, 0),1) However, this cannot be done using the VLOOKUP function: The combination of INDEX and MATCH is a very useful function. You can even use this combination as an alternative to other lookup functions and perform more advanced lookups. Can you do a fuzzy match in Google Sheets?Find partial duplicates in Google Sheets. Find Fuzzy Matches is a smart tool that will help you group and correct all typos you have in your Google spreadsheet.
Can you do an index match in Google Sheets?The Google Sheets MATCH function provides the relative position or 'index' of an item in a range of cells. It accepts a range of cells and a value, and returns the position of that value in the range of cells. Here, search_key is the item that we want to match.
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