Difference between Pivot Table and Vlookup

Jun 8, 2023 · 3 min read ·

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Vlookup:

Vlookup is a built-in Excel function short for Vertical look up, which is designed to work with data that is organised in columns. Vlookup can search for a specific value from one column of data and returns the specific corresponding value from another column that is defined by Column Index number. In simple terms it basically finds a value and goes to another location and finds the same value.

Vlookup

Though Vlookup is easy to use there are plenty of flaws with one of the major one is that by default it assumes a person is okay with an approximate match. Vlook up can sometimes be time-confusing as well as have risk in producing misleading analysis. One of the flaw of Vlookup is that it will only enable a person to compare data that is common in each list. Though Vlookup is one of the important function that helps you locate specific information in your spreadsheet, but it is not very agile. Vlookup is another important tool which is time-saving and easy to use that can search through 100 rows of data or can search other location rows in the sheet. Vlookup can only look right to retrieve data and this becomes its one of the big limitation. To solve the issue and having data extracted from left use INDEX and MATCH instead of Vlookup.

Another flaw in the design is that it does not consider Upper and Lower case text differently like there two things of same name 'ABC' and 'abc', it will search the first available match ABC, even if you have searched for lower case name. Using this tool, you can also classify and categorise the data in the table. It can also merge the data in different tables but adding new columns to existing Vlookup tables can break the column and separate it in right side. Thus, Vlookup is a tool that will lookup a piece of information that a person is searching and feed you back information in the column it finds which becomes a Vertical Matching Data.

Comparison between Pivot Table and Vlookup

Particulars	Pivot table	Vlookup
Meaning	A Pivot table is a user-report-based program tool which allows users to reorganise and summarise the selected columns and rows of data in a database sheet like Excel or spreadsheet.	Vlookup is short for Vertical look up that organises data in a columns by searching for a specific value from one column of data and returns the specific corresponding value from another column that is defined by Column Index number.
Represents	Organises bulk data in more user-friendly manner and can represent information more vividly with the help of charts, slicers, tables, etc.	Function represents searching value in range of data in the same or external sheet.
Attributes
Limitations
Usage	Is used to report/dashboards on a single data/ table.	Is used to map data in one sheet with another sheet.
Agility	Very agile for data-analysis	Not so much.

Image Courtesy: Tutorialspoint.com, Exceljet.net

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