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XLOOKUP is the modern lookup engine in both Excel and Google Sheets. It fixes the pain points of VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP: rigid column indexes, breakable ranges, and awkward left-lookups. For a sales or marketing leader, this matters when you’re merging CRM exports with ad data, pricing tables, or campaign results. A clear step-by-step approach forces you to define lookup_value, lookup_array, and return_array correctly, handle missing values with if_not_found, and choose the right match_mode. That discipline means fewer #N/A errors, cleaner reports, and models you can safely hand to a teammate without explaining them five times.Now imagine never building those XLOOKUPs yourself. An AI computer agent can open your Excel file or Google Sheet, identify the keys to match (like email or product ID), write and copy XLOOKUP formulas, test them on sample rows, and even document what it did. Instead of you hunting for broken ranges at midnight before a client demo, the agent quietly maintains your lookups in the background while you focus on strategy and deals.
### 1. Manual XLOOKUP: the classic wayBefore you automate, it helps to master the basics in both tools.**1) In Excel (simple exact match)**1. Open your workbook with two tables: for example, a `Leads` sheet and a `Pricing` sheet.2. Identify the common key, such as `Product_ID`.3. Decide where you want the result to appear, e.g. `Leads!E2` for "List Price".4. In `E2`, type: `=XLOOKUP([@Product_ID], Pricing!$A:$A, Pricing!$B:$B, "Not found", 0, 1)` - `lookup_value`: the product ID in the current row. - `lookup_array`: the column with IDs in `Pricing`. - `return_array`: the column with prices. - `"Not found"`: message if there’s no match. - `0`: exact match.5. Press Enter, then fill down the column.6. Cross‑check a few random rows.Official Excel XLOOKUP reference: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/xlookup-function-b7fd680e-6d10-43e6-84f9-88eae8bf5929**2) In Google Sheets (XLOOKUP)**1. Open your Sheet with, say, a `Campaigns` tab and a `Spend` tab.2. Use a stable key like `Campaign_ID`.3. In `Campaigns!F2`, enter: `=XLOOKUP(A2, Spend!$A:$A, Spend!$C:$C, "Not found", 0, 1)`4. Drag the formula down.5. Spot‑check totals against the original `Spend` sheet.Official Sheets XLOOKUP reference: https://support.google.com/docs/answer/9367199**3) Approximate matches for pricing tiers (Excel)**1. Build a `Tiers` table: Score in column A, Tier in column B (e.g. 50, 60, 80...).2. In your main table, use: `=XLOOKUP(D2, Tiers!$A:$A, Tiers!$B:$B, "No tier", -1)`3. `-1` returns the next smaller value, ideal for banded pricing or lead scoring.**4) Horizontal lookups (Excel or Sheets)**1. Sometimes your headers are in a row, not a column.2. XLOOKUP still works: set `lookup_array` to a row range and `return_array` to another row.3. For example in Excel, to pull a quarter’s number from a header row.**5) Multiple values (Excel)**1. In Excel 365, XLOOKUP can spill multiple columns.2. Use `=XLOOKUP(A2, Table2[ID], Table2[[FirstName]:[Salary]])` to pull several fields at once.### 2. No-code automations around XLOOKUPOnce you know the formula, the next step is to remove as much manual prep and maintenance as possible.**A) Google Sheets + automation platforms**- Use tools like Zapier or Make to: - Trigger when a new row is added to your Sheet (e.g. a new lead from a form). - Enrich that row with CRM or ads data. - Let XLOOKUP in the Sheet stitch it all together.Example workflow:1. Trigger: New lead row in `Leads` sheet.2. Zap step: Look up company domain in your CRM (via API).3. Write company domain back to `Leads!B2`.4. Because you’ve pre‑built an XLOOKUP that maps domain to account tier in another tab, the enrichment happens instantly for every new row.Pros:- No code, just point‑and‑click.- Great for connecting SaaS tools to a central Sheet.Cons:- You still design & debug the XLOOKUP formulas.- Prone to human error when structures change.**B) Excel + Power Query / Power Automate**- Use [Power Query](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/import-data-from-external-data-sources-power-query-3f1b1a8a-24f2-4b32-b3f1-2cb5bb7d5edb) to: - Pull data from databases, CSVs, or web sources into clean tables. - Refresh them on schedule.- Keep your XLOOKUP formulas pointing to these structured tables.- With [Power Automate](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-automate/), you can: - Trigger when a file arrives in OneDrive or SharePoint. - Run a flow that updates an Excel table.Pros:- Enterprise‑grade; works well in Microsoft stacks.- Strong for recurring data refreshes.Cons:- Still formula‑driven; someone owns the XLOOKUP logic.- Setup takes time and some technical comfort.### 3. Scaling XLOOKUP with an AI agentThis is where a Simular AI computer agent becomes your spreadsheet specialist, not just a macro replacement.**A) Agent-driven spreadsheet maintenance**Story: Your agency updates 30 client performance workbooks every Monday. Each file has slightly different tabs, but the same need: match ad spend to CRM revenue via XLOOKUP.A Simular Pro agent can:1. Open each Excel or Google Sheets file on your desktop or in the browser.2. Detect which column is the key (e.g. Email, Campaign_ID) by reading headers.3. Insert or update XLOOKUP formulas across the correct columns.4. Test them on sample rows, checking for `#N/A` or `#VALUE!` errors.5. Log everything it did in a summary sheet.Pros:- You delegate BOTH the formula writing and tedious validation.- Works across desktop, browser, and cloud tools.Cons:- Requires an initial onboarding: show the agent a few good examples.- You should still review the first runs for sanity.**B) End-to-end enrichment workflows**For sales and marketing teams, combine web research and XLOOKUP:1. Agent scrapes pricing or partner data from websites into a Sheet.2. It normalizes column names and data types.3. Then it builds XLOOKUP formulas in your master revenue model to join that new data.Now, refresh doesn’t mean pulling exports and fixing broken formulas. It means triggering the agent.Pros:- Truly end-to-end: browsing, copy/paste, Sheets, Excel, even your CRM UI.- Production-grade reliability with thousands of steps.Cons:- Best suited when your process is stable enough to codify.- You’ll need to think of the agent as a junior analyst: supervise early, then trust.