Lookup and Reference

The lookup functions are located on the Lookup and Reference command button's drop-down list (Alt+MO) on the Ribbon's Formulas tab. Excel makes it easy to perform table lookups that either return information about entries in the table or actually return related data to other data lists in the spreadsheet. By using Lookup tables to input information into a data list, you not only reduce the amount of data input that you have to do, but also eliminate the possibility of data entry errors. Using Lookup tables also makes it a snap to update your data lists: All you have to do is make the edits to the entries in the original Lookup table or schedule to have all their data entries in the list updated as well.

The reference functions in Excel enable you to return specific information about particular cells or parts of the worksheet; create hyperlinks to different documents on your computer, network, or the Internet; and transpose ranges of vertical cells so that they run horizontally and vice versa.