Excel: How to Use VLOOKUP to Return Entire Row


You can use the following syntax in Excel to use the VLOOKUP function to look up a specific value in a range and return the entire row that corresponds to the value:

=VLOOKUP(A14,$A$2:$D$11,{1,2,3,4},FALSE)

This particular example looks up the value in cell A14 in the range A2:D11 and then returns the entire row that corresponds to the value.

Note: By using {1, 2, 3, 4} in the formula we are able to return the values in columns 1, 2, 3 and 4.

The following example shows how to use this syntax in practice.

Example: Use VLOOKUP to Return Entire Row in Excel

Suppose we have the following dataset in Excel that contains information about various basketball players:

Suppose we would like to look up the team name “Mavs” in the dataset and return the entire row that corresponds to this team name.

We can type the following formula into cell A16 to do so:

=VLOOKUP(A14,$A$2:$D$11,{1,2,3,4},FALSE)

The following screenshot shows how to use this formula in practice:

Excel VLOOKUP return entire row

Notice that the formula returns the entire row of values that corresponds to the “Mavs” team name.

If we change the value of the team in cell A14, the formula will automatically update to return the entire row of values that corresponds to the new team name.

For example, suppose we change the team name to “Nets” in cell A14:

Notice that the formula automatically updates to return the entire row of values that corresponds to the “Nets” team name.

Additional Resources

The following tutorials explain how to perform other common tasks in Excel:

Excel: Use VLOOKUP to Return Multiple Values Horizontally
Excel: Use VLOOKUP to Return Blank Instead of Zero
Excel: How to Use VLOOKUP by Date

3 Replies to “Excel: How to Use VLOOKUP to Return Entire Row”

    1. Hi User…To use `VLOOKUP` to return an entire row in Excel and display the values horizontally (in a row instead of a column), you need to modify your approach. By default, `VLOOKUP` only returns a single value from the specified column, but we can use a combination of `INDEX`, `MATCH`, and `COLUMNS` to achieve this.

      ### Steps to return the entire row using a combination of `VLOOKUP`, `INDEX`, and `MATCH`:

      1. **Assume the data range**:
      – Let’s say your data is in the range `A1:D10`, where `Column A` contains the values you’re looking up, and `Columns B, C, D` contain the data you want to retrieve.
      – The lookup value is in cell `F1`.

      2. **Formula**:
      In the first column of the row where you want to return the results, use the following formula:

      “`excel
      =INDEX($A$1:$D$10, MATCH($F$1, $A$1:$A$10, 0), COLUMNS($A$1:A1))
      “`

      – `$A$1:$D$10` is the range where your data resides.
      – `$F$1` is the lookup value.
      – `$A$1:$A$10` is the column where the lookup value is searched.
      – `COLUMNS($A$1:A1)` calculates the relative column index for each result, incrementing as you drag the formula across.

      3. **Drag the formula across**:
      – Drag the formula across to fill adjacent columns. The `COLUMNS($A$1:A1)` part will automatically update as you move right, pulling data from the corresponding columns.

      This method retrieves data from multiple columns and returns it in a row instead of stacking it vertically.

      Let me know if this helps!

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