How to Use Excel MATCH

Microsoft Excel is a powerful tool for data analysis and manipulation, and one of its most useful functions is MATCH. If you’re familiar with Excel, you’ve probably heard of VLOOKUP, which is used to search for a value in a specific column, and return a corresponding value from the same row. MATCH, on the other hand, simply returns the position of a value or item within a range of cells. This makes it incredibly useful for a variety of functions, such as data validation, filtering, and conditional formatting. In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at how to use Excel MATCH, and explore some use cases to help you get the most out of this powerful function.

How to Use Excel MATCH

If you want to find the position of a value or item within a range of cells, you can use the Excel MATCH function. MATCH searches for a specified value in a range of cells, and then returns the position of that value in the range. Here’s how to use it:

Step 1: Decide Which Value to Search for

The first step is to decide which value you want to search for. This could be a specific number, word, or phrase that you want to find in your data.

Step 2: Open the MATCH Function

To use the MATCH function, you’ll need to enter it into a formula. Start by typing “=MATCH(” in the cell where you want the result to appear.

Step 3: Specify the Value to Search For

Next, you need to specify the value that you want to search for. This is the value that MATCH will look for in your data. You can enter the value directly into the formula, or you can reference a cell that contains the value. For example, if you want to search for the value “dog” in your data, you would enter “dog” or a cell reference that contains the value “dog”.

Step 4: Specify the Range to Search In

Now you need to specify the range of cells that you want to search in. This is the range that MATCH will search for the value you specified in step 3. You can enter the range directly into the formula, or you can reference a cell or named range that contains the range address. For example, if you want to search in cells A1:A10, you would enter “A1:A10” or a cell reference that contains the range address.

Step 5: Specify the Match Type

Finally, you need to specify the match type. This tells Excel how to match the value you specified in step 3 with the data in the range you specified in step 4. There are three match types to choose from:

• 1: Exact match (default) – returns the position of the first value that exactly matches the search value.
• 0: Exact match – same as above
• -1: Exact match or next largest item – returns the position of the largest value that is less than or equal to the search value. This is useful when searching for approximate matches.

To specify the match type, enter the number 1, 0, or -1 as the third argument in the MATCH function. For example, if you want an exact match, enter “=MATCH(“dog”, A1:A10, 0)”

Step 6: Press Enter and View the Result

Hit Enter, and Excel will return the position of the value you searched for in the range you specified. For example, if “dog” is found in cell A3, Excel will return the number 3.

That’s it! By following these steps, you can use the Excel MATCH function to quickly find the position of a value or item in your data. This is a highly versatile function that can be used for a variety of tasks. Try it out and see how it can help you with your data.

Additional Tips for Using Excel MATCH

Now that you know how to use the MATCH function, here are some additional tips to help you get the most out of it:

Match Multiple Criteria with INDEX and MATCH

If you need to match multiple criteria, you can combine the INDEX and MATCH functions to create a more complex formula. INDEX returns the value of a cell in a specific row and column, while MATCH finds the position of a value or item in a range of cells. By combining the two functions, you can create a formula that matches multiple criteria and returns a corresponding value. For example, if you have a table with two columns (Name and ID), and you want to find a specific ID based on a specific name, you can use the following formula:

=INDEX(B2:B10,MATCH(F2,A2:A10,0))

In this formula, cell F2 contains the name you want to search for, and the range A2:A10 contains the names. The formula first uses MATCH to find the position of the name in the range, and then uses INDEX to return the corresponding ID in the range B2:B10.

Match Case-Sensitive Data

By default, the Excel MATCH function is not case-sensitive. That means that it will treat uppercase and lowercase letters as the same. However, if you need to match case-sensitive data, you can use the EXACT function along with the MATCH function. EXACT compares two text strings and returns TRUE if they are exactly the same, and FALSE if they are different. Here’s an example:

=MATCH(TRUE,EXACT(A2:A10,F2),0)

In this formula, cell F2 contains the case-sensitive data you want to search for, and the range A2:A10 contains the data. The formula first uses the EXACT function to compare each cell in the range with the search value, and returns TRUE if there is an exact match. MATCH then finds the position of the first TRUE value in the range, which corresponds to the exact match.

Match Wildcard Characters

If you need to match wildcard characters (such as *, ?, or ~), you can use the MATCH function along with the SUBSTITUTE function. SUBSTITUTE replaces one text string with another text string, which allows you to replace the wildcard character with a character that is recognized in Excel. Here’s an example:

=MATCH(SUBSTITUTE(F2,”*”,”~*”),A2:A10,0)

In this formula, cell F2 contains the search value with a wildcard character (*), and SUBSTITUTE replaces the * with the ~* character. MATCH then finds the position of the search value in the range A2:A10, using the modified search value.

By using these additional tips, you can extend the functionality of the Excel MATCH function and perform more complex searches on your data.

FAQs About Using Excel MATCH

Here are some frequently asked questions about using Excel MATCH:

What is the difference between MATCH and VLOOKUP?

The primary difference between the MATCH and VLOOKUP functions is that MATCH returns the position of the search value, while VLOOKUP returns a corresponding value from the same row. In other words, MATCH tells you where the value is located, and VLOOKUP tells you what the value is.

Can I use MATCH to search for dates or times?

Yes, you can use MATCH to search for dates or times. Just make sure that the values in your data are formatted as dates or times, and that the value you’re searching for is also formatted correctly. Also, keep in mind that Excel stores dates and times as serial numbers, so you may need to adjust your formulas accordingly.

What happens if there are multiple matches?

If there are multiple matches for the search value in the range you specified, the MATCH function will return the position of the first match by default. However, you can use the INDEX function along with the MATCH function to return multiple values based on multiple matches.

What does the match type argument do?

The match type argument tells Excel how to match the value you specified in step 3 with the data in the range you specified in step 4. There are three match types: exact match (default), exact match or next largest item, and exact match or next smallest item. The match type argument can be either 0, 1, or -1, depending on the type of match you want to perform.

Can I use MATCH to search for text within a cell?

No, the MATCH function is not designed to search for text within a cell. However, you can use other functions, such as FIND or SEARCH, to search for text within a cell. For example, if you want to search for the word “apple” within a cell, you can use the following formula:

=IF(ISNUMBER(FIND(“apple”,A1)), “Found”, “Not Found”)

In this formula, cell A1 contains the text you want to search, and the FIND function searches for the word “apple”. If “apple” is found, the formula returns “Found”, and if not, it returns “Not Found”.