Multiple chained VLOOKUPs

If you need to perform multiple lookups sequentially, based on whether the earlier lookups succeed or not, you can chain one or more VLOOKUPs together with IFERROR.

In the example shown, the formula in L5 is:

=IFERROR(VLOOKUP(K5,B5:C7,2,0),IFERROR(VLOOKUP(K5,E5:F7,2,0),VLOOKUP(K5,H5:I7,2,0)))

Explanation

The IFERROR function is designed to trap errors and perform an alternate action when an error is detected. The VLOOKUP function will throw an #N/A error when a value isn't found.

By nesting multiple VLOOKUPs inside the IFERROR function, the formula allows for sequential lookups. If the first VLOOKUP fails, IFERROR catches the error and runs another VLOOKUP. If the second VLOOKUP fails, IFERROR catches the error and runs another VLOOKUP, and so on.

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Related functions

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The Excel VLOOKUP function is used to retrieve information from a table using a lookup value. The lookup values must appear in the first column of the table, and the information to retrieve is specified by column number. VLOOKUP supports approximate and exact matching...

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The Excel IFERROR function returns a custom result when a formula generates an error, and a standard result when no error is detected. IFERROR is an elegant way to trap and manage errors without using more complicated nested IF statements.

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