How To Use MIN and MAX with VLOOKUP in Excel

Using MIN and MAX with VLOOKUP in Excel

VLOOKUP with MIN Function

To look up the minimum value in a column and retrieve corresponding data from another column, use the VLOOKUP function nested with MIN. The syntax is =VLOOKUP(MIN(first_column_range), lookup_range, column_number, FALSE). Set the fourth argument to FALSE to enforce an exact match. This formula returns the item related to the smallest value found by the MIN function.

VLOOKUP with MAX Function

Similarly, to find the maximum value, nest MAX within VLOOKUP using =VLOOKUP(MAX(first_column_range), lookup_range, column_number, FALSE). Ensure the range_lookup argument is set to FALSE to require an exact match, allowing you to obtain the entry corresponding to the largest value.

Nested Functions with VLOOKUP

Nest the MIN, MAX, or AVERAGE functions as the lookup_value in VLOOKUP when needing to look up a value based on summary statistics. For example, =VLOOKUP(MIN(first_column_range), lookup_range, column_number, FALSE) retrieves the data associated with the minimum statistic.

Additional Tips for VLOOKUP with MIN and MAX

The MIN and MAX functions need exact matching to work efficiently with VLOOKUP. A sorted list is not essential when using these functions with the exact match option. Employing MINIFS and MAXIFS allows you to find the minimum or maximum values associated with specific criteria.

Utilizing VLOOKUP with MAX and MIN for Dates

For date-related data, using VLOOKUP with MAX and MIN functions can efficiently pinpoint the most recent or earliest date in a dataset and retrieve relevant information. The functions are inserted as the lookup value in the VLOOKUP formula to find and return the corresponding date's data.

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