How to Find Column Index Number in Excel VLOOKUP: 2 Methods

1. Find and Insert VLOOKUP Column Index Number Manually

Find the column index number and then insert that in the formula manually in the VLOOKUP formula in Excel.

Steps:

  • Add two new rows to the dataset.

One for name and another one for salary.

  • Input a name in the corresponding box of Name.
  • Put the following formula on Cell C12.
=VLOOKUP(C11,B5:D9,3,FALSE)

Insert Column Index Number Manually in VLOOKUP function

We selected Range B5:D9, and our resultant column is 3rd of that range. So, we use 3 in the col_index_num section of the VLOOKUP function.

  • Press Enter.

Our VLOOKUP operation is complete after manually inputting the column index number.


Method 2 – Input Column Index Number Inside VLOOKUP With the Help of COLUMN Function

Steps:

  • Move to Cell C12. Then, put the following formula.
=VLOOKUP(C11,B5:D9,COLUMN(D5)-COLUMN(B5)+1,FALSE)

Insert Column Index Number with column function in VLOOKUP function

The COLUMN function is used in the formula. Subtract the first column number of the table_array from the resultant column number of the VLOOKUP function and add 1.

  • Press the Enter button to see whether the result is accurate or not.

Get the same result. It means the COLUMN function has successfully worked.


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Alok Paul
Alok Paul

Alok Paul has completed his B.Sc. in Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering from East West University. He has been working on the ExcelDemy project for more than 2 years. He has written 220+ articles and replied to numerous comments. He is experienced in Microsoft Office, especially in Excel. He also led some teams on Excel and VBA content development. He has a keen interest in Advanced Excel, Data analysis, Excel Pivot Table, Charts, and Dashboard. He loves to research... Read Full Bio

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