Excel for Accounting Professionals Session 5: Error Trapping and Improving Lookups

Overview

As popular as the VLOOKUP function is, it has limitations. This session walks through the limitations and suggests how to improve the VLOOKUP function. We then discuss how to move beyond VLOOKUP altogether. We spend some time trapping errors with the IFERROR function, which was first rolled out with Excel 2007. The webcast is designed with time for you to work along. This hands-on workshop is an effective way to learn Excel since you’ll be completing the same exercises demonstrated by the instructor. A link will be provided, so you can download the necessary Excel files. During the webcast, the instructor will provide time for you to complete the exercises using your Microsoft Excel for Windows. For each topic presented, the instructor explains the topic and demonstrates it with Excel exercises. Then, the instructor provides time for you to complete many of the same exercises. Finally, the instructor demonstrates the solutions for all the exercises in the practice workbook and then moves to the next topic. This format allows you to work along rather than just watch passively, enabling you to immediately practice the skills demonstrated.

Prerequisites

working knowledge of Excel

Objectives

• Improve the use of VLOOKUP with MATCH.
• Improve the use of VLOOKUP with VALUE/TEXT.
• Move beyond VLOOKUP with INDEX.
• Trap errors with IFERROR.
• Use the IF function.