Rifat Hassan
While working in Excel, we are to do this often. We are to look up a particular value in a data set that satisfies one or more criteria. Today I will be showing how you can lookup one or more values that satisfy multiple criteria in a data set in Excel.
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2 Suitable Ways to Lookup with Multiple Criteria in Excel
Look at the data set below. We have the Employee IDs, Employee Names, Joining Dates, and Salaries of a company named Jupyter Group. We will lookup values with multiple criteria using the INDEX, MATCH, XLOOKUP, and FILTER functions. Here’s an overview of the dataset for our today’s task.
Now we will try to lookup values that meet various types of multiple criteria from this set of data.
Method 1: Lookup Multiple Criteria of AND Type
First of all, let’s try to look up some multiple criteria of AND type. Here, AND type multiple criteria means, one value has to satisfy all the criteria to be selected. Let’s try to find an employee with an ID greater than 400 and a salary greater than $40000. You can accomplish the task in 3 different ways.
1.1 Combine INDEX and MATCH Functions in Rows and Columns
Before going to the main point, you may go and take a glance at the INDEX and MATCH functions of Excel. We will find out the employee with an ID greater than 400 and a salary greater than $40000 using the INDEX-MATCH formula. Let’s follow the instructions below:
Steps:
- First of all, select cell G7 and write down the following formula.
=INDEX(C5:C16,MATCH(1,(B5:B16>400)*(E5:E16>40000),0),1)- After that, press Enter on your keyboard. As a result, we have found an employee with an ID greater than 400 and a salary greater than $40000, Richard Samuelson.
- B5:B16>400 goes through all the IDs in column B and returns an array of TRUE and FALSE, TRUE when an ID is greater than 400, otherwise FALSE.
- E5:E16>40000 goes through all the salaries in column E and returns an array of TRUE and FALSE, TRUE when a salary is greater than $40,000, otherwise FALSE.
- (B5:B16>400)*(E5:E16>40000) multiplies the two arrays of TRUE and FALSE, and returns a 1 when the ID is greater than 400 and the salary is greater than $40,000. Otherwise returns 0.
- MATCH(1,(B5:B16>400)*(E5:E16>40000),0) goes through the array (B5:B16>400)*(E5:E16>40000) and returns the serial number of the first 1 it encounters.
- In this case, it returns 5 because the first 1 is in serial number 5.
- Finally, INDEX(C5:C16,MATCH(1,(B5:B16>400)*(E5:E16>40000),0),1) returns the Employee name from the range C5:C16, with row number equal to the output of the MATCH function and column number equal to 1.
- This is the required employee with an ID greater than 400 and a salary greater than $40,000. Now, if you understand this, can you tell me the formula to find out the employee who joined before 31 Dec, 2009, but still receives a salary less than $25,000.
- Afterward, type the below formula in cell G7.
=INDEX(C5:C16,MATCH(1,(D5:D16<DATE(2009,12,31))*(E5:E16<25000),0),1)- Hence, hit Enter. Further, you will get Angela Hopkins as the return of the formula.
Read More: 7 Types of Lookup You Can Use in Excel
1.2 Using XLOOKUP Function
We can accomplish the previous task using the XLOOKUP function of Excel too. But remember, XLOOKUP is only available in Office 365. Before going to the main point, you can have a glance at the XLOOKUP function of Excel. Now, we find out the employee with an ID greater than 400 and a salary greater than $40,000 using the XLOOKUP function. Let’s follow the instructions below to learn!
Steps:
- Firstly, type the below formula in cell G7.
=XLOOKUP(1,(B5:B16>400)*(E5:E16>40000),C5:C16)- As a result, we have got the same employee as earlier, Richard Samuelson. This is the name of the employee with an ID greater than 400 and a salary greater than $40,000.
- (B5:B16>400)*(E5:E16>40000) returns an array of 1 and 0, 1 when the ID is greater than 400 and the salary is greater than $40,000. 0 otherwise.
- XLOOKUP(1,(B5:B16>400)*(E5:E16>40000),C5:C16) first searches for 1 in the array (B5:B16>400)*(E5:E16>40000). When it finds one, it returns the value from its adjacent cell in the range C5:C16.
Read More: How to Use LOOKUP Function in Excel (4 Suitable Examples)
1.3 Applying FILTER Function
The INDEX-MATCH and the XLOOKUP formula have one limitation. If more than one value meets the given criteria, they return only the first value. For instance, in the earlier example, if you look closely, you will find that there are two employees with an ID greater than 400 and a salary greater than $40,000.They are Richard Samuelson and Usman Malik. But the INDEX-MATCH and the XLOOKUP formulas return only the first employee, Richard Samuelson. To get all the values that satisfy the given criteria, you can use the FILTER function of Excel. But remember, the FILTER function is also only available in Office 365.
Steps:
- To find out the employees with an ID greater than 400 and a salary greater than $40,000 the FILTER formula will be:
=FILTER(C5:C16,(B5:B16>400)*(E5:E16>40000))- After that, this time we have got all the employees that maintain all the criteria, Richard Samuelson and Usman Malik.
- (B5:B16>400)*(E5:E16>40000) returns an array of 1 and 0, 1 when the ID is greater than 400 and the salary is greater than $40,000. 0 otherwise (See the INDEX-MATCH section).
- FILTER(C5:C16,(B5:B16>400)*(E5:E16>40000)) goes through all the values in the array (B5:B16>400)*(E5:E16>40000), and when it finds a 1, it returns the adjacent value from the range C5:C16.
- Thus we get all the employees with an ID greater than 400 and a salary greater than $40,000.
- Now, if you understand this, can you tell me the formula to find out the employees who joined between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2016, but received a salary of at least $30,000? Yes. You are right. The formula will be:
=FILTER(C5:C16,(D5:D16>=DATE(2014,1,1))*(D5:D16<=DATE(2016,12,31))*(E5:E16>=30000))
Read More: How to Lookup Multiple Values in Excel (10 Ways)
Method 2: Lookup Multiple Criteria of OR Type
Now, we will try to look up some values that satisfy multiple criteria of OR type. Here, OR type criteria mean one value has to satisfy at least one criterion among all the criteria to be selected. Let’s try to find out the employee who joined before 1 Jan, 2010 or receives a salary greater than $30,000.
2.1 Merge INDEX and MATCH Functions in Date Range
Click here to visit the INDEX function and click here to visit the MATCH function before proceeding, if you wish.
Steps:
- The INDEX-MATCH formula will be as shown in below formula box.
=INDEX(C5:C16,MATCH(TRUE,((D5:D16<DATE(2010,1,1))+(E5:E16>30000))>0,0),1)- See, we have got Jack Simpson, the first employee with a joining date before January 1, 2010, or a salary greater than $30,000. But there are many more employees. Using INDEX-MATCH, we get only the first one.
- We will get all the employees together later using the FILTER function later. This is the required employee who matches at least one criterion.
- D5:D16<DATE(2010,1,1) returns an array of TRUE and FALSE. TRUE when the joining date in column D is less than 1 Jan 2010. FALSE otherwise.
- E5:E16>30000 also returns an array of TRUE and FALSE. TRUE when the salary is greater than $30,000. FALSE otherwise.
- (D5:D16<DATE(2010,1,1))+(E5:E16>30000) adds the two arrays and returns another array of 0, 1, or 2. 0 when no criterion is satisfied, 1 when only one criterion is satisfied and 2 when both the criteria are satisfied.
- ((D5:D16<DATE(2010,1,1))+(E5:E16>30000))>0 goes through all the values of the array (D5:D16<DATE(2010,1,1))+(E5:E16>30000) and returns TRUE if the value is greater than 0 (1 and 2), and FALSE otherwise (0).
- MATCH(TRUE,((D5:D16<DATE(2010,1,1))+(E5:E16>30000))>0,0) goes through all the values in the array ((D5:D16<DATE(2010,1,1))+(E5:E16>30000))>0 and returns the first serial number where it gets a TRUE.
- In this case, returns 3 because the first TRUE is in serial 3.
- Finally, INDEX(C5:C16,MATCH(TRUE,((D5:D16<DATE(2010,1,1))+(E5:E16>30000))>0,0),1) returns the employee name from the range C5:C16 with the serial number returned by the MATCH function.
Now, if you understand this, can you tell me the formula to find out the employee with an ID less than 300, or a joining date less than January 1, 2012, or a salary greater than $30,000?
Yes. You are right. The formula will be:
=INDEX(C5:C16,MATCH(TRUE,((B5:B16<200)+(D5:D16<DATE(2012,1,1))+(E5:E16>30000))>0,0),1)
Read More: How to Lookup Text in Excel (7 Suitable Methods)
2.2 Applying XLOOKUP Function
You can accomplish the same task using the XLOOKUP function in Excel. XLOOKUP is only available in Office 365.
Steps:
- The formula to find the employee with a joining date before January 1, 2010, or a salary greater than $30,000 will be:
=XLOOKUP(TRUE,((D5:D16<DATE(2010,1,1))+(E5:E16>30000))>0,C5:C16)- See, we have got the same employee as earlier, Jack Simpson. But as with the INDEX-MATCH formula, more employees meet the given criteria. We have got only the first one.
- ((D5:D16<DATE(2010,1,1))+(E5:E16>30000))>0 returns TRUE when at least one of the two criteria is satisfied, otherwise FALSE. See the above section.
- XLOOKUP(TRUE,((D5:D16<DATE(2010,1,1))+(E5:E16>30000))>0,C5:C16) then returns the employee name from column C5:C16, where it gets the first TRUE.
Read More: How to Lookup Value from Another Sheet in Excel (3 Easy Methods)
2.3 Using FILTER Function
Finally, we will accomplish the same task using the FILTER function in Excel. The FILTER function is only available in Office 365. This time we will get all the employees who joined before January 1, 2010, or received salaries greater than $30,000.
Steps:
- The formula will be the same as shown in the below formula box.
=FILTER(C5:C16,((D5:D16<DATE(2010,1,1))+(E5:E16>30000))>0)- Thus it returns all the employees who meet at least one of the given criteria.
- See, this time we have got all the employees who meet our given criteria, joining date before January 1, 2010, or salary greater than $30,000.
- ((D5:D16<DATE(2010,1,1))+(E5:E16>30000))>0 returns TRUE when at least one of the two criteria is satisfied, otherwise FALSE. See the INDEX-MATCH section.
- FILTER(C5:C16,((D5:D16<DATE(2010,1,1))+(E5:E16>30000))>0) goes through all the cells in the range C5:C16 but returns only those when it encounters a TRUE.
Read More: How to Lookup a Table in Excel (8 Methods)
Conclusion
Using these methods, you can lookup some value that satisfies multiple criteria from any set of data. Do you know any other method? Or do you have any questions? Feel free to ask us.
Can I use lookup to populate the cells of one spreadsheet with the information from another using two separate criteria(date and text)? I’ve tried using Vlookup but I keep having issues with the date. Google sheets keep misinterpreting it.
Hi Temitope,
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