How to Use the VLOOKUP Ascending Order in Excel (3 Ways)

The VLOOKUP function is a game-changer when you have to retrieve information from a range of data in the same or different worksheets. This function is one of the most popular Excel functions. You can look up data, return them in a new worksheet and sort them in ascending order. Today in this article, we will discuss three different methods to Use the VLOOKUP Ascending Order in Excel.

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Overview of VLOOKUP Function in Excel

In plain language, the VLOOKUP function takes the user’s input, looks up for it in the Excel worksheet, and returns an equivalent value related to the same input. This function is available in all versions of Excel from Excel 2007.

• Summary

The VLOOKUP function takes the input value, searches it in the worksheets, and returns the value matching the input.

• Syntax

• Argument

• Output

Returns an exact or approximate value equivalent to the user’s input value.

VLOOKUP in Ascending Order: 3 Approaches

We can return our values from the data table in the same or different worksheets and sort them in ascending order in a new worksheet. We will discuss three distinctive ways to do it.

1. VLOOKUP in Ascending Order in Same Worksheet

The following example includes a range of data where “ID”, “Salary”, and “Region” of some Sales Reps are given. We need to sort them in ascending order using the VLOOKUP function.

🔗 Steps:

• First, make another data table in the same worksheet where you want to retrieve the data in ascending order.
• Then, copy the ID column> Paste in the new table> go to Home tab> Sort & Filter under Editing group and select Sort Smallest to  Largest as shown in the image below.

• Now, click Sort on the Sort Warning dialog box.

• Now, the values of the ID column will be sorted in ascending order.
• Next, apply the VLOOKUP function in the “Salary” column.

The final form of this formula is:

• Then, press ENTER to get the result.
• Now, drag the Fill Handle tool downward to Autofill the formula to the next cells.

• Hence, we get the Salary for the corresponding ID no.

It is noticeable that we have used the lookup range as “B$6:D$16” that means we have locked the column. So with copying or dragging the formula, the cell reference won’t change itself further. If we have used Absolute cell reference (i.e. $B$6:$D$16), both the row and column would have been frozen. Read this article to copy formulas without changing cell reference and this one for changing one reference only.

• After that, drag the mouse to the right end to get the same result in the remaining cells.

Read More: How to Return the Highest Value Using VLOOKUP in Excel

2. VLOOKUP in Ascending Order from Another Worksheet

In this section, we will perform the same task again for looking up another sheet.

🔗 Steps:

• First, create a data table in another worksheet where you want to return data in ascending order according to your lookup value.
• Then, copy all the data from the ID column and sort them following this step of Method 1.

• Next, apply the formula below to lookup values from a different sheet.

• Now, press ENTER to get the result.

• Finally, repeat these steps of Method 1 to fill the other blank cells with the same formula.

Read More: VLOOKUP Example Between Two Sheets in Excel

Similar Readings

• VLOOKUP Not Working (8 Reasons & Solutions)
• What Is a Table Array in VLOOKUP? (Explained with Examples)
• INDEX MATCH vs VLOOKUP Function (9 Examples)
• Use VLOOKUP with Multiple Criteria in Excel (6 Methods + Alternatives)
• How to Vlookup and Sum Across Multiple Sheets in Excel (2 Formulas)

3. From Multiple Worksheets with IFERROR

We can look up our data in multiple worksheets and then sort them in ascending order by using the VLOOKUP with the IFERROR function.

We have two data worksheets in which we will look up the value. One of them got data for “UK”.

And the other worksheet contains data for the “USA”.

This method will look up for value in every worksheet until it finds the exact value that we are looking for.

🔗 Steps:

• Firstly, create a new data workspace in a new worksheet where we want to sort our data in ascending order. Copy all the data from ID column and sort them following this step of Method 1.

• Now, apply the “VLOOKUP” along with the “IFERROR” function combinedly.

The format for this formula is:

So, the final look of the formula is:

• After that, press ENTER and repeat these steps of Method 1 to fill the other blank cells with the same formula.

• Finally, we have got our values in ascending order.

Read More: VLOOKUP Max of Multiple Values (With Alternative)

Common Problem for VLOOKUP Ascending Order 

Using the “VLOOKUP” function in ascending order is comparatively easy. However, you might face problems while ascending in order using this function if you don’t use the fourth argument of this function. Let’s discuss.

VLOOKUP Ascending Order Without Exact Match

There is an optional argument in the VLOOKUP function that plays a vital role when we sort in ascending order. That argument is the 4th argument (range_lookup). Let’s see how this argument works.

• In the following example, we will find the Salary from the ID in ascending order.
• Here, apply the “VLOOKUP” function in cell “G6”.

In the formula,

• Lookup_value is F6
• Table_array is B$6:D$16
• Col_index_num is 2

We will ignore the range_lookup. The “VLOOKUP” function will then automatically select the range_lookup as “Approximate match (TRUE)”.

• Now, press ENTER to get the result.

From the result, we can see that we did not get the result in ascending order. Because, when the 4th argument is TRUE or omitted, you will get an unexpected result. And then the function will look for an approximate match which you may not want for the lookup value in ascending order. Therefore we get this unexpected result. From the picture, we can see we got Salary “8500” for ID “112-116” and “4000” for ID “118-120”.

Solution for VLOOKUP Ascending Order Without Exact Match

We can solve this problem just by applying the argument in the function correctly.

Edit the applied VLOOKUP function. In the function argument, we see the 4th argument. Now we will use this.

Select “FALSE” as your 4th argument to get the “EXACT” match for your lookup value. This time we will retrieve our values in ascending order.

Now, press ENTER. The problem is solved and we got our values in ascending order.

Things to Remember

➤ The VLOOKUP function always searches for lookup values from the leftmost top column to the right. This function “Never” searches for the data on the left.

➤ If there is a multiple highest value in a worksheet, the “VLOOKUP” will only return the first match in the list.

➤ Always use the 4th argument as “FALSE” to get the exact result.

➤ The “VLOOKUP” function is not “case-sensitive”. It does not process upper and lower case text differently.

Conclusion

Lookup for data in ascending order using the VLOOKUP function is discussed in this article.  Though this function is difficult for the new users to comprehend, we tried to make it as simple as possible. Hope this article is useful to you when you are facing problems. You are welcome to share your thoughts if you have any confusion.

Further Readings

• How to Make VLOOKUP Case Sensitive in Excel (4 Methods)
• Excel VLOOKUP to Return Multiple Values Vertically
• VLOOKUP with Numbers in Excel (4 Examples)
• VLOOKUP to Search Text in Excel (4 Easy Ways)
• VLOOKUP with Two Lookup Values in Excel (2 Approaches)