Functions are the driving force of any Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, generating a single value or an array of results based on certain arguments you input. However, combining—or nesting—functions ...

In Excel, the INDEX function returns an item from a specific position (in a list, table, database). The MATCH function returns the position of a value (in a list, table, database).

VLOOKUP and Search are two functions that Excel uses to search for text. VLOOKUP finds data in a column and returns the contents of an adjacent cell.

Mastering Excel's index and match functions can streamline data analysis and improve efficiency.

The lookup function in Excel can save you a lot of time and effort, but only if you actually know how to use its many forms and alterations.