How to use HLOOKUP

Let’s take a look.

Here’s the VLOOKUP commission example we’ve looked at previously.

Let me quickly run through the example again to recap.

Finally, we need to specify an exact or approximate match.

We definitely want an approximate match in this case.

Now when I copy this down, we get the correct commission rates for each salesperson in the list.

Now let’s perform exactly the same lookup using HLOOKUP.

To do this, I need to first transpose the table from a vertical layout to a horizontal layout.

This is easy to do withPaste Specialusing the transpose feature.

I just copy the table, bring up the Paste Special dialog, and select “Transpose.”

Now we have a horizontal table that can build our HLOOKUP formula.

Again, HLOOKUP has identical functionality to VLOOKUP.

Next I need to provide a row index.

Finally, I need to confirm HLOOKUP is using approximate match.

Just like VLOOKUP, HLOOKUP is fully dynamic and returns the current information in the lookup table.