Could you please provide me with some reference material as to how vertical lookup works? All of the formula fields cause me to become clueless! What are lookup values, table arrays, column index numbers, and range lookups? As for what Writeacher proposed, I am already following along with an overall awesome tutorial. I just find it lacking in its treatment of this one particular task. I do not want to have to sift through a multitude of results just to get a better grasp of what these four specific parts mean.

Of course! I can explain the concepts of vertical lookup and provide you with some reference material to help you understand it better.

Vertical lookup, also known as VLOOKUP in Excel, is a function used to search for a specific value in a table or range of data vertically (in a column) and retrieve information from the corresponding row. It is commonly used to find and extract data from a larger dataset or table.

To understand vertical lookup, let's break down the key components involved:

1. Lookup Value: This is the value you are searching for in the first column of the table or range. For example, if you are looking for a customer's name in a sales database, the lookup value could be the customer ID.

2. Table Array: This is the range of data that contains the lookup value, as well as the associated data you want to retrieve. The table array is a set of columns with the first column usually containing the lookup values. It can be a single range of cells or a named range.

3. Column Index Number: This indicates the column number from which you want to retrieve the data in the table array. For example, if the desired data is in the third column of the table array, the column index number would be 3.

4. Range Lookup: This is an optional parameter that specifies whether the VLOOKUP should perform an approximate match or an exact match. An exact match finds an identical lookup value, while an approximate match finds the closest value that is less than or equal to the lookup value. You can use either "TRUE" or "FALSE" to define the range lookup.

To learn more about vertical lookup and its implementation, you can refer to the following resources:

1. Microsoft Office Support: Visit the official Microsoft Office Support website and search for "VLOOKUP function" to find detailed explanations, examples, and step-by-step guides on using VLOOKUP in different versions of Excel.

2. YouTube Tutorials: YouTube is a great platform to find video tutorials that explain how to use VLOOKUP visually. Search for "Excel VLOOKUP tutorial" to find numerous video tutorials that can provide you with visual demonstrations and explanations.

3. Online Training Platforms: Websites like LinkedIn Learning, Udemy, and Coursera offer online courses and tutorials specifically focused on Excel. These courses often cover VLOOKUP and many other useful functions extensively, providing in-depth explanations and hands-on exercises.

By exploring these resources, you should be able to find comprehensive explanations and practical examples that will help you understand the concepts of vertical lookup and improve your skills in using it effectively.