How to use Excel Index Match (the right way)

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Quickly learn all you need to know about INDEX & MATCH to get a quick start. This video compares INDEX & MATCH with VLOOKUP, demonstrating why INDEX & MATCH is a superior choice for complex data lookups.
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⬇️ Download the file I used in the video from here: pages.xelplus.com/index-match...
What You'll Learn:
▪️ Basics of INDEX & MATCH: Understand the fundamentals of how INDEX and MATCH functions work individually.
▪️ Why INDEX & MATCH is better than VLOOKUP: Discover the limitations of VLOOKUP and scenarios where INDEX & MATCH is more effective.
▪️ Practical Examples: Step-by-step guide to using INDEX & MATCH for real-world data lookup problems, including two-way lookups and matrix-type data arrangements.
▪️ Advanced Techniques: Learn to solve complex data problems that go beyond simple table formats.
00:00 Is INDEX & MATCH the same as VLOOKUP?
00:52 Excel INDEX function explained
05:07 Excel MATCH function explained
06:29 Using INDEX & MATCH together
08:08 Two way lookup with INDEX & MATCH (data validation)
10:30 How to REALLY learn Excel INDEX & MATCH
Why Index Match is better than VLOOKUP & why use INDEX MATCH instead of VLOOKUP?
Here are 3 reasons why Excel experts generally substitute VLOOKUP with INDEX and MATCH.
1. Unlike VLOOKUP, which searches only to the right, INDEX and MATCH can look in both directions - left and right.
2. INDEX & MATCH can perform two-way lookups by both looking along the rows and along the columns to find the intersection within a matrix.
3. INDEX & MATCH is less prone to errors. Assume you have a VLOOKUP where the final value you want returned is in column N. Your lookup value is in column A. You need to highlight the entire A to N range and then provide your index number to be 14. If you happen to delete any of the in-between columns, you would have to update that index number. You don’t need to worry about this when you use INDEX & MATCH.
Note: Index match is not case sensitive
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#excel

[@LeilaGharani]

Grab the file I used in the video from here 👉 pages.xelplus.com/index-match-basics

[@MiguelAlvarezAdams]

do you have a beginners course?

[@LeilaGharani]

@MiguelAlvarezAdams We do, check it out here: www.xelplus.com/course/learn-excel-essentials/

[@marcusb.6804]

$1300 for a required college course. $250 for a required book on Excel (& Access). Hours of lecture. I've learned more in minutes with Leila's videos than the entire semester so far.

[@LeilaGharani]

Thank you Marcus. I'm very happy to hear that!

[@giseleteghen4247]

Am telling u

[@nagarajumogili6372]

Nice joke

[@george5120]

Plus, Leila is only interested in teaching office-suite skills and doing so with effective use of time. And unlike a university, she is not trying to indoctrinate students with woke identity politics, CRT, and teaching students to hate the USA and to vote Democrat.

[@Cine_Psycho]

And where you are going to apply what you learn 🤔

[@samysnes]

I wish more people would showcase and explain individual functions on their own when making tutorials on combined functions. Very informative.

[@jamesjennings8574]

This is one of those videos that I just keep coming back to every once in a while just to refresh myself on the function. Love this! Your pace is great, you aren't condescending but don't assume we don't know ANYTHING about Excel, either. Perfect balance -- What a great teacher you are. Wish I had you as a Professor in Uni.

[@ianl1052]

Me too. What I tend to do is to paste a link to the videos into each of the practice spreadsheets I work on so I can instantly refer to the video instead of looking for it or searching my YT saved videos folder which is getting quite full now. Just a tip.

[@hedergy1571]

Been watching Leila's Excel videos for the last 3+ years and there is simply nobody better to teach the technical concepts of Excel in such an easy way. I used to marvel at upper management's ability to do complex spreadsheets and I learned to beat them out in just a year of watching her vids.

[@adarshpaul5027]

You must try Excel Chandoo 👍 thank me later

[@MoniqueIniguez]

I have been stuck on my homework for hours rereading my chapter and redoing the exercises. Your video was the first to pop up when i googled Index and Match and I am so happy I clicked on it. You explained it so well. It helped me immediately make progress! thank you so much for helping me :)

[@gmbylsma]

What a wonderfully easy to follow lesson! This really helped me finally learn this function combination. Thank you!

[@abdihakinsuldan9513]

She is talented From somalia

[@ismaelkourouma5558]

To be honest, this is the only video that was able to explain to me these nested fonctions (Index and Match). Incredible Leila, I don't regret anything about the lessons I'm taking with you. Great thanks to simplifying easily complicate things.

[@wayneackerman4817]

I really like her presentation style. After she completes something, she always goes back to show why it works !!!! Not all excel lectureres have figured this out.

[@billknauss7963]

I like the speed of your videos. You don't go too fast or too slow. It's a good speed.

[@nohaynombrelibreeeee]

Not only the speed, it is also the way how she teaches. She is just great!

[@ltellis63]

Leila, you are a brilliant teacher! Thank you so much for this video. In 11 minutes I understood and am able to apply this information in a real life situation that I have been working on for quite a while.

[@edb484]

This is amazing. I just started a new job this week and I never used Index and match before. This helped me out a ton. Thanks

[@alouettedeschamps]

Thank you for your simple, clear, step by step teaching. Your videos are perfectly balance: the information transmitted by the image and the voice, the tips insertion. It is a pleasure to learn with you and also a way to learn how to teach.

[@chrisccc22]

OMG thank you. I just got back to working in an office after 10 years away. I was great with Excel back in the day but if you don't use it, you lose it. I will be tuning in regularly. You may have saved my bacon. If you are from Canada, coffees are on me LOL.

[@rizwanwali4223]

How’s it going?, been on the job a year after your time off

[@jimburford4535]

How is the selec app "misty wash created? Index?

[@jodinejacobs6485]

Ek 0

[@BeastmanG]

What were you focused on in those 10 years if you don't mind me asking?

[@chrisccc22]

@@BeastmanG I was in Network Security back in the day but entered the field of Global Supply Chain Management and Logistics. I spent quite a bit of time in Southeast Asia and China.

[@TonyAllen2AT]

Love the map and coordinates analogy. That helps very much. Now perhaps when I'm in a hurry to do a vlookup real quick, I'll be more comfortable with the better index/match solution. Totally agree, you just need to force yourself to practice using it until it's comfortable.

[@LeilaGharani]

I'm glad you find it easy to understand. That's what made it click for me :) Let me know how it goes.

[@sainaymyohtoon2186]

Love you teacher and thank you very much for your generous contributions and I have learned a lot from your lessons even within 2 days of exploring your tutorials. I am sure that I will definitely benefit from your lessons therefore, I hope receiving your new lessons in the future as well. I will stay tuned to your new lessons:)

[@tomgoosmann]

I've searched and read so many help articles on Index and Match. I finally get it with this clear, concise explanation and demonstration. Thank you!

[@stephenphan2761]

Hello Leila, You teach me the functions in very smart way: simple and easy to understand. thanks a lot.

[@natureshorts6657]

Excellent. Describing it as GPS coordinates and the range as the map really helped. Good way to think about it.

[@narender6810]

Thanks Leila for such a great explanation without any penny charge. If I look for this in the market it will cost me more than that. You are such a great tutor for excel on KZbin. Continue to keep up the good works 👍🏼👍🏼

[@Brani79]

Hi Leila, you just saved me a lot of time and headache again! You are very good in explaining this stuff. Your videos are always very clear, calm and structured. Many thanks!

[@patatebs853]

Beauty with BRAINS!! Thank you so much for explaining this!

[@jaiveershekhawat2521]

Thanks, Leila for simplifying it and giving logical explanation at each step. Actually applied the Index-Match formula and saved myself hours of useless work. Never gonna forget it.

[@calvineng7958]

Hello, I spent a weekend watching your excel videos. The week after, I was able to tackle some very complicated excel projects at work. Thank you and please keep posting

[@tomteresi]

I was studying for the MOS 2019 Excel Expert exam and decided to skip the Index and Match functions because of their complexity (imbedding, etc.). But, I watched this video for the fun of it. Guess what? Index and Match were on the exam I took and I passed! There were some other challenging parts but Index/Match is a new friend. Thank you, Leila!

[@LeilaGharani]

That's great Tom. Congratulations!

[@Taxi2853]

i love the analogy GPS and map~ now you have one new subscriber. Thank you for the video

[@SanjayKumar-yx6gc]

Thank you so much Leila for responding syntax for Date function , Really, Your teaching technique is very good & simple, so you are best lecturer.

[@LeilaGharani]

Sure. You're very welcome & thank you for the compliment.

[@rotrose7531]

Thank you very much again with this creative excel tutorial. All these stiff stuff explained by you are instantly a delight to practice. Thank you and please continue this youtube channel and expand it.

You have, by far the best Excel-tutorials I've seen. You use really good examples and you are very pedagogic in how you explain everything. Thank you for a awesome channel!

[@LeilaGharani]

Wow, thank you Magnus!

[@ZeeshanKhan-ld2ff]

Leila, You are awesome. I fell in love with your teaching style. So easy and meaningful. God Bless you!

[@Ryan599187]

Bet thats not all you fell in love with

[@kehindeolaobaju9366]

Awesome tutorial. Thank you Leila for explaining Index/Match function in simple terms.

[@GuruDanny]

I just want to thank you for a very clear explanation. I was able to use it in vba using "WorksheetFunction" with both Match and Index. In worksheet it is easily readable but in vba, I had to write "WorksheetFunction" everytime with Match and Index, so I choose to use two local variables for row and column, and call those in Index function. That makes it more readable and easy to follow in vba code. I am still using your style of using Index and Match as one formula for a quick reference for end user. This also make me think to go back into my previous codes and redo some of the coding. Once again thanks for a great tutorial.

[@joycewang3322]

I'm so thankful to you! Your voice is so calming and patient and I don't feel too bad when I cannot follow it! I just rewatch it.

[@blackcrow2521]

outstanding way to explain!

[@fizzakhalid3705]

Yeah! Agreed

[@SnookRS]

thank you so much, finally someone with easy explanations

[@cellardoor10]

So impressed by how you *never* disappoint. You always manage to be so much more understandable than other articles and videos. Thank you thank you!

[@LeilaGharani]

Wow, thank you!

[@babiecacorriente762]

I was always afraid of index -match function.. instead i used vlookup.. now this video helps me a lot.. I would like to thank u for teaching us the most complicated issues with easier way...Lots of Thanks..

[@LeilaGharani]

Glad to help. You may want to also check out the brandnew XLOOKUP. Beats even Index & Match.

[@zaydarendse2812]

I'm gonna have to practice this like crazy!!! Love it!! and thank you!

[@johng5295]

Thanks in a million. This is badly needed. Second to none. Grade: A++

[@shawnieleaf2277]

OMG- Seriously- I have been pulling my hair out trying to figure out how to do data cleaning and this formula worked!! I have been watching COUNTLESS videos for HOURS and YOURS was the first to actually explain this so well that I could actually use it. Thank you so so much. SUBSCRIBE!

[@LeilaGharani]

That's great! I'm happy the tutorial is helpful.

[@reyanntaylor2616]

I have looked at 5 different articles trying to explain this concept to no avail and you just laid it all out perfectly, thank you so much!!

[@LeilaGharani]

That's great. I'm glad the video was helpful.

[@kasiditauable]

Great explaination! No one has enough patience to teach me this clearly.

[@rajeshapkari9743]

I am now a Index Match fan, going to forget Vlookups which has been a loyal and dependable function in excel for years. Thanks Leila, very simple way to explain Index Match

[@LeilaGharani]

Sounds like a plan :)

[@Paul-4177]

Very well done. Excellent example to follow along with and very precise commentary. You made a fairly complex topic easy to understand. I am using it in a current spreadsheet with great success, without the dependency of lookups. Thank you.

[@herastudio543]

OMG finally someone who has explained this properly!!! till today, i did not understand how index worked and what was key to ensuring it does. Thank you

[@1tommyoneill]

This is great, I've been a VLOOKUP obsessive to the point that I drag columns around to suit...I avoided INDEX & MATCH because I felt it was too confusing. After this, I'm determined to master it. Thank you.

[@wks123]

Me tooooo. I will start tomorrow!!

[@dino1167]

Finally i found My excel Teacher....Thank u leila.. :)

[@jinaloves4153]

*Only 18* 👇👇👇 746428.loveisreal.ru

[@stevenalvesmusic]

FINALLY someone who explains this decently and step by step. Amazing explanation! Many many thanks!!!!

[@ryuken1mil]

I can't express enough how intricately informative you are with these breakdown vids. They extremely make my use of these formulas more avid with the intricate excel sheets I've designed my for professional reports to easily amuse my superiors with rapid fire functions at the tips of my fingers. Thanks for putting me on cloud 9 with this witty rhyme that I'm kindly sharing with you it's my ire.

[@LeilaGharani]

Thank you for the kind feedback. I'm happy the video is helpful.

[@techymarky]

I too was a vlookup fan until I learned this.

[@AweshBhornya-ExcelforNewbies]

Great video. The explanation was awesome. I loved the part where you used the example of the map and GPS. Maybe you can try the indirect function to make the range of the Revenue and Profit change more dynamic.

[@AweshBhornya-ExcelforNewbies]

I have tried it out and it shortens the formula and makes it faster. I named the ranges to Revenue and Profit and then modified the formula to this and it works great. =INDEX(INDIRECT(G9),MATCH(H5,B6:B15,0))

[@LeilaGharani]

Great! That's a nice twist! Thanks for sharing.

[@DaveeedMM]

Just got a new job and the requirements are to know the basics of index match. I've been following your videos to prepare for the role Your videos are absolutely the best. Thank you for releasing such amazing content!

[@anthonygonsalvis121]

Hi Leila, thank you for "beautifully explaining" a very useful concept that I struggled with in the past (even failed a job interview because of it many years ago). Your video is very methodical and builds up steadily instead of jumping around. I plan on using Index/Match in future even if Vlookup would work. Best wishes.

[@LeilaGharani]

My pleasure Anthony. I'm glad the video is helpful.

[@K3V_59]

This is the best explanation of INDEX MATCH I've found. This made it easier to understand and implement. Thanks!

[@daysimejia2876]

You have saved me at my job multiple times, thank you for being a force for tech women in the making :)

[@LeilaGharani]

Us women have to stick together :) Glad the tutorials are helpful for you.

[@herisonmanalo838]

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[@herisonmanalo838]

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[@maxpayne6919]

Leila its amazing what you do for this community! Thank you

[@123rockstar2010]

I believe I can achieve the same using Conditional Formatting. Thank you, Leila, your Excel videos are so interesting!~

[@SplixerDEV]

Thank you! It helped me a lot with my assignment

[@pamelaward5256]

Wow, I was stuck on this for a couple of hours. I watched a few other videos before I found this one and kept getting errors. This is the first video that explained how this works in language I could follow easily. Thank you!!!

[@JasonPiepmeier]

Great vid! This was perfect, helped me figure out exactly how to use to solve a problem i had in Apple Numbers. So this works for both Excel and Numbers

[@RajKumar-ku4qz]

hey ma'am ur have a sharp brain. i love your trick

[@xtyleyt2739]

This is perfection. I love her.

[@toddcaywood2550]

I've been using combination VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP to pull from a table of values as needed, but this is SO much easier, and more versatile than either HLOOKUP or VLOOKUP. Thanks so much!!

[@ajitsingh4346]

was trying to create a pivoted P&L report from a list table. Your tutorial really helped. Thanks a lot.

[@RobertLongM]

I love the KZbin Commercials for schooling- "Would you like to master Excel?" ... lol... Well yes - and once this annoying commercial ends I'll get on with my training :-) Thank you Ms Leila!

[@MyMomSayNoDota]

i wonder, why u just got 700K subscribers. ur content is priceless.

[@enriquegaribay7799]

Excellent and simple explanations, the map and the street examples were very clear and helpful, thanks, Leila!

[@anuragmohan6831]

Hello mam, I would just like to say that I love the approach you take in explaining the topic, you just dive in with the simplest of the words and do it thoroughly, unlike many others who like to crack jokes, don't explain fully or make it even more complicated, please keep up the good work.

[@LeilaGharani]

Many thanks for the kind feedback. I really appreciate it.

[@SERGIO-cr6uy]

i dunno what impresses me the most.....Her beauty? Her Excel skills? Her ability to teach? Such a pity I'm too dumb to remember anything she teaches, it's like trying to learn Chinese.

[@Stan_sprinkle]

I see more harassment than usual on this particular vid. Anyway, for years I've kinda half paid attention every time I tried to learn about INDEX and MATCH. Great explanation... finally got it.

[@carolb8714]

I agree. Leila is a very talented and professional presenter. She deserves more respect than she gets from some of the viewers.

[@rv9570]

This help you more kzbin.info/www/bejne/rYCueWCtqdiDbKc

[@mandymcfadden584]

The harassment on this channel is gross. If you creeps have anything to say about her looks or are compelled to make sexual compliments, keep it to yourself, sickos!

[@daseaton]

This lesson is almost three years old and still priceless. Can you use index and match across different worksheets? I keep getting an error. Thank you as always! Nevermind I found your other video and I forgot to fix my cell references! Superlative teacher!

[@JagtarSingh-bw8dm]

I am a big fan of yours. All the videos are very informative. I started using excel in my work more efficiently than before just because of you. And you look gorgeous.

[@harshchovatiya-gh7hn]

Just One Comment : " Beauty With Brain"

[@cmavishnu5003]

Perfect example for basic information and understanding. Thank you

[@MKatsimp]

You are good Leila. Clear, easy to follow, focused on the right things with the right amount of elaboration in order to get both the big picture and the details. Thank you-

[@LeilaGharani]

Thank you for the kind feedback Michael!

[@garys2187]

Another fantastic video explaining something so clearly that you took something that is actually quite complicated and you made it seem easy!! Thank you taking the time carefully explain each part of the process. I wish I had discovered your site years ago.

[@LeilaGharani]

Much appreciated Gary!

[@Koushik23333]

Thank you for the Indexing and match function, helped me a lot in fin modelling course.

[@koenhouse]

Wow, explaining array as GPS is pure genius!

[@bluejeans706]

Well done! I had come to youtube in the past to learn index/match, but quickly struggled to recall the syntax of these functions. But while watching your video, I experienced that ah ha moment and was able to with relative ease to immediately apply what I learned to one of my spreadsheets (I could hear your voice in my head asking the question). The way you set the stage, explained and demonstrated how it's done was perfect for my style of learning. Thank you!!

[@LeilaGharani]

Many thanks for the kind feedback. I really appreciate it.

[@thegoodgorilla287]

Wow, this is awesome! I do work with very large datasets sometimes and had faced the LOOKUP issues you've mentioned. Thank you so much!!!

[@philippebaeyens2795]

Hi Leila, you are really the best PRO in simplifying and explaining rather complicated formulas. I really adore your approach!

[@LeilaGharani]

Thank you so much, Philippe!

[@businessfinancecoach]

Leila - you are my savior

[@LeilaGharani]

Glad to help :)

[@anorynenangachowafula661]

You Leila, you are just one hell of a teacher, oh my! in you I have always found solutions to my problems. Your language is pretty clear...I think even grade 2 kenyan student will understand you! amazing

[@djphilly44]

EXCELent video!😊 That is the first time I fully understood INDEX and MATCH. You have a gift!!

[@missmoni2785]

I just watched multiple videos, but not a single one could make me clear enough. Its YOU!!! I love your calm voice and so detailed teaching method. All the best for your channel

[@LeilaGharani]

Wow, thank you!

[@SolarCrusader]

Thanks for solving my work problem! Easy to follow and better than the other tutorials out there!

[@janz0310]

This is perfect! I used to use the If function for these types of lookup and it was hell.

[@MOABE12]

I've been trying to properly learn INDEX MATCH for weeks just reading about it, unsuccessfully. Now it only took me this video of yours to get it! Thank you so much Leila!

[@LeilaGharani]

Glad it helped!

[@giango5004]

Thank you so much! Your explanation is very easy to follow and understand. I am a recent grad and will be working next week! It is my first real job and my manager advised me to learn how to use index and match. The other videos and explanations that I looked up were so complicated and hard to understand until I found you! I also watched your other videos and downloaded your workbooks for practice as well. Very helpful! thank you!

[@LeilaGharani]

Glad it was helpful!

[@tomepetreski5297]

Thanks Leila! Well explained and easy to understand. Will definitely be watching more of your videos in the future!

[@balajipb1]

Thanks Madam, No body else could have explained this much better, please continue to share knowledge like this.

[@abhijitsingh5986]

Thank you! I look forward to using this Index and Match tomorrow in the office

[@yaya14every81]

Thank you! I loved how you explained how match was a one way street! Now it makes sense! Thank you for the clear explanation!

[@amlanmajumder9000]

Thank you so much Leila for teaching me Index Match in such nice manner & way. It was taking a long time to complete any look up issue with the V Look UP and now I have started to believe that this formula will surely save a lot of time. Thanks again. You have been very popular for your teaching style. May you continue to teach us in this fantastic way...Amlan.

[@LeilaGharani]

I'm a big fan of Index Match. Glad you find the video helpful Amlan.

[@anishabhaduri1]

Amazing videos, i have learnt a lot of excel in the last few days than i ever have previously, u r an amazing teacher, never imagined excel can be easy to understand! Thanks a million!

[@samuelkarpinski3024]

OMG, where have you been my entire life? This was an absolute lifesaver!!!

[@eddieamorgan]

I love you! This is exactly what I needed. I just put it in Google Sheets instead of Excel. You are the bomb!

[@tchhrao1]

excellent explanation. i have been trying to understand how to use match and index since 12 years and i got it now with your video. thanks a ton

[@trewaldo]

I love using this rather than VLOOKUP but I never thought about the analogy of GPS that you used to simplify the mechanics of INDEX-MATCH. Thanks, Leila! 🤓🥰

[@LeilaGharani]

You're very welcome, Reynaldo!

[@SpringRain23]

So good! Thank you. Incredibly clear and to the point. Time and frustration saver!!! :)

[@deepakrajan2041]

Always used to avoid index match by pasting duplicate column to the right to use vlookup, but this video explains index match in a way that has given me confidence to use it now