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To find a value in one Excel column and return the related value from a third column, use =XLOOKUP(E2,A:A,C:C,"Not found"). It searches column A for the value in E2 and returns the value from column C on the matching row. If you mean that two source columns must both match before Excel returns a value, use a two-criteria formula instead.
First, identify what “match two columns” means
The phrase can describe two different tasks. For a basic lookup, you have one search value, one column to search, and another column containing the result. For a two-criteria lookup, you have two search values and need both corresponding source columns to match on the same row. Choose the formula that fits your worksheet.
- One search value: find a key in one source column and return the related value from another column.
- Two search values: require both source columns to match their respective search values before returning a result.
- Comparing two lists: check whether values from one list appear in another. This is a membership test, not a two-criteria lookup.
Look up one value and return a value from a third column
Use XLOOKUP in supported Excel versions
For example, suppose column A contains product IDs, column C contains product names, and E2 contains the ID you want to find. Enter:
=XLOOKUP(E2,A:A,C:C,"Not found")
Excel searches column A for E2 and returns the value from column C in the corresponding row. The fourth argument sets the displayed result when no match is found. XLOOKUP uses an exact match by default, and its lookup and return ranges can be specified independently, so the return column does not have to be to the right of the lookup column. Microsoft describes this distinction as: “XLOOKUP uses a lookup array and a return array, whereas VLOOKUP uses a single table array followed by a column index number.” Microsoft’s XLOOKUP function guide documents the function and its behavior.
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For Excel versions without XLOOKUP, use:
=INDEX(C:C,MATCH(E2,A:A,0))
MATCH searches column A for E2 and returns its position. The 0 requests an exact match. INDEX uses that position to return the corresponding value from column C. Microsoft documents this INDEX/MATCH lookup pattern and the exact-match option for MATCH. See Microsoft’s examples for finding data in a table or range and its MATCH function reference.
Use VLOOKUP if you prefer its table-and-index format
If the lookup field is in column A and the result is in column C, this formula requests an exact match:
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=VLOOKUP(E2,A:C,3,FALSE)
VLOOKUP searches the leftmost column of the selected table array, then returns the value from the numbered column—in this case, the third column of A:C. The FALSE argument requests an exact match; TRUE or an omitted fourth argument requests approximate matching. For identifiers and other exact keys, use FALSE. Microsoft’s VLOOKUP, INDEX, and MATCH guide explains these lookup options.
| Formula | When it fits | Lookup and return ranges | Exact match and missing results |
|---|---|---|---|
| XLOOKUP | Current Excel versions that support the function | Separate ranges; the return range can be on either side of the lookup range | Exact match by default; can specify a not-found value |
| INDEX/MATCH | Useful fallback, including for Excel 2016 and 2019 | INDEX returns from one range using MATCH’s position in another | Set MATCH’s third argument to 0 for exact match; an unfound item returns #N/A |
| VLOOKUP | Familiar table-based lookup when the search field is the table’s leftmost column | One table array, with a numeric column index for the result | Use FALSE for exact match; TRUE or an omitted final argument requests approximate matching |
Microsoft’s XLOOKUP function page says that XLOOKUP is unavailable in Excel 2016 and Excel 2019. For those editions, use INDEX/MATCH or VLOOKUP. Check Microsoft’s XLOOKUP availability note.
Require both source columns to match
If both source columns are criteria—for example, a department and an employee ID—use a formula that tests both on the same row. With search values in E2 and F2, source values in A2:A100 and B2:B100, and the result in C2:C100, enter:
=XLOOKUP(1,(A2:A100=E2)*(B2:B100=F2),C2:C100,"Not found")
Each comparison produces TRUE or FALSE. Multiplying them yields 1 only when both comparisons are TRUE on the same row, so XLOOKUP returns the corresponding value from column C. This is an applied formula pattern using XLOOKUP’s lookup and return arrays; Microsoft’s guidance on criteria also distinguishes requiring all conditions from requiring any condition. See Microsoft’s explanation of multiple-field criteria.
Quick Recap
Check the formula if it returns an unexpected result
- Confirm the match type. XLOOKUP is exact by default. For MATCH, use
0as the third argument. For VLOOKUP, useFALSEas the fourth argument when matching identifiers, names, or codes exactly. - Interpret a missing result. XLOOKUP can display a specified message such as “Not found.” MATCH returns
#N/Awhen it cannot find the requested item. - Check for inconsistent keys. Extra spaces, differing data types, or a number stored as text in one place and as a number in another can prevent a match. Compare the actual cell contents and formats before concluding that the record is absent.
- Align the ranges. In a multi-criteria formula, the tested columns and return range should cover the same rows and be the same size. Bounded ranges, such as rows 2–100, make the intended data area explicit.
- Account for letter case. Ordinary MATCH is not case-sensitive, so capitalization alone does not distinguish two text keys. Microsoft’s MATCH reference describes its case behavior.
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