excel microsoft training - Vlook up table, pivot table

Hi Marie

Thank you for your questions.

With VLOOKUP there are 4 parts:
1. The lookup value - this must be unique and a value from the leftmost column from part 2. which is:
2. The table array - this is a data range containing the column which has the potential lookup values and the other data/information related to your lookup values.
3. The column index number - each column in the table array is numbered by Excel from left to right, so the column containing the lookup values is column 1, and then each consecutive column in the table array is numbered 2, 3 etc. The column index number refers to which column you want Excel to display information from, that relates to the particular lookup value you are searching for.
4. The Range lookup can contain one of two things: either TRUE or FALSE. These relate again to the lookup value - use TRUE if you want an approximate match to the lookup value (i.e. near enough is good enough) or FALSE if you want an exact match to your lookup value.

When you put the formula togther, each part of the function needs to be separated from the next by a comma:

=VLOOKUP(lookup value, table array, column index number, range lookup)

To create a pivottable, select a cell in the range of data that you wish to create the pivottable from. Then go to Data - PivotTable and PivotChart report. At step 1, check that Microsoft Excel list or database is selected and click Next.

At step 2, check that Excel has selected the whole data area that you wish to create the pivot table from. If Excel hasn't selected the whole data area, you can select it yourself from here. Click Next.

At step 3, choose where you want the pivottable to be displayed - either on a new worksheet or the same worksheet as the pivottable data (existing worksheet option). If you choose this option then you will need to select a cell to be the starting point for where the pivottable will be displayed.

Then click Finish.

I hope this helps.
Amanda