Maximize Excel: XLOOKUP Worksheet Function

Date: 11/19/2024
Time: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM EST
CPE Credit: 2 hours

Microsoft announced the new XLOOKUP function for Office 365 in August 2019. As is typical for Office 365 features, this function will be pushed out to users in waves. In this presentation you’ll get an overview of the new XLOOKUP function and see how it compares to both VLOOKUP, HLOOKUP and INDEX/MATCH, as well as the similarities that XLOOKUP has with the obsolete LOOKUP function in Excel.

David demonstrates every technique at least twice: first, on a PowerPoint slide with numbered steps, and second, in the Office 365 version of Excel. David draws your attention to any differences in the older versions of Excel (2019, 2016, 2013, and earlier) during the presentation as well as in his detailed handouts. David also provides an Excel workbook that includes most of the examples he uses during the webcast.

Microsoft 365 is a subscription-based product that provides new-feature updates as often as monthly. Conversely, the perpetual licensed versions of Excel have feature sets that don’t change. Perpetual licensed versions have year numbers, such as Excel 2019, Excel 2016, and so on.

Who should attend:
Practitioners interested in seeing the capabilities of the new XLOOKUP worksheet function in Microsoft 365.
Topics typically covered:
 
• Comparing the new XMATCH function in Excel 2021 and Microsoft 365. to the MATCH function available in all versions of Excel.
 
• Contrasting the INDEX and MATCH combination to VLOOKUP or HLOOKUP.
 
• Demonstrating how XLOOKUP can look up and down columns or across rows.
 
• Displaying alternate results with XLOOKUP by populating the If_Not_Found argument instead of using IFERROR or IFNA.
 
• Enabling VLOOKUP to look up data from the left (instead of only from the right) by using the CHOOSE function.
 
• Exploring  the XLOOKUP worksheet function in Excel 2021 and Microsoft 365.
 
• Exploring the nuances of wildcard lookups with XLOOKUP.
 
• Exploring the risks and benefits of participating in the free Microsoft Office Insider program.
 
• Improving the integrity of spreadsheets by using SUMIF to look up values in a more flexible fashion than VLOOKUP.
 
• Investigating the risks associated with the obsolete LOOKUP function.
 
• Looking up data to the left or right of a given column with XLOOKUP.
 
• Matching on two or more columns of criteria at once with XLOOKUP.
 
Learning objectives:
• Identify the purpose of Excel's XLOOKUP function
• Describe the purpose of the column_index_num argument within VLOOKUP
• Identify the number of criteria pairs that you can specify in the MAXIFS function
 
 
Level:
Intermediate
 
Format:
Live webcast
 
Instructional Method:
Group: Internet-based
 
NASBA Field of Study:
Computer Software & Applications (2 hours)
 
Program Prerequisites:
Experience with Excel Spreadsheets
 
Advance Preparation:
None