VLOOKUP in Google docs

Here's how to use VLOOKUP to retrieve a value in a table.  For example, I calculate student grades in numeric percentages, but I want a second column to tell me the correct grade.

My gradesheet might look like this:

GradeSheet

I want populate the Letter Grade column with letter grades.






So in another sheet, I might have the GradeScale:

GradeScale

The VOLOOKUP formula would go in column B of the GradeSheet:

GradeSheet

The actual formula looks like this: =VLOOKUP(C2;GradeScaleA$1:B$9; 2; true)

And here's the breakdown:

• C2 = look at C2 where the numeric grade is (the Calculated Grade column; 87, 92, etc.)
• GradeScale = the name of the sheet where my Grade Scale table is located
• A$1:B$9 = the actual array of my table (***IMPORTANT: make sure you use the $ before the numbers-- otherwise each time you drag the formula, you'll change your array!  This is called absolute referencing,)
• 2 = return the value in column 2 (if you enter 1, it'll return the value in column 1) of the GradeScaleTable

Now just drag the formula down all the cells where you want the VLOOKUP to function. 

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According to Google Docs help:

Syntax: VLOOKUP(search_criterion, array, index, sort_order)

• Search_criterion
 is the exact value searched for in the first column of the array.

• Array
 is the reference, which must include at least two columns.

• Index
 is the number of the column in the array that contains the value to be returned. The first column has the number 1.

• Sort_order
 (optional, defaults to TRUE) indicates that the first column in the array is sorted. If this is true, then VLOOKUP will return the closest match to the search_criterion. If false, then only exact matches will be returned.