Strange Vlookup Behavior

bencar

Banned user
Joined
Jun 8, 2016
Messages
149
Hi guys,

This vlookup problem has me scratching my head. For the following table I use the vlookup formula below to lookup up book title, author and price in different cells at the same time. It includes a COLUMNS function to paste it across cells to return book title, author and price. Whats so strange about it is, I can enter COLUMNS($Z:Z) instead of COLUMNS($A:A) and I still get the right answers. Why does it do this if column Z isn't in the lookup table but works as good as column A which is?

=VLOOKUP($B13,$A$2:$E$11,COLUMNS($A:A)+1,0)


ABCDE
1NumberBook TitleAuthorPriceType
21A Game of ThronesGeorge R.R.$19.77hardcover
32Go to SleepAdam Mansbach$8.22paperback
43A Dance with DragonsGeorge R.R.$18.81paperback
54The Hunger GamesSuzanne Collins$4.94paperback
65The Original ArgumentGlenn Beck$7.99hardcover
76Heaven is for RealTodd Burpo$9.34paperback
87UnbrokenLaura Hillenbrand$13.99hardcover
98Smokin' SeventeenJanet Evanovich$15.21paperback
109In the Garden of BeastsErik Larson$13.78paperback
1110Catching FireSuzanne Collins$8.97hardcover

<tbody>
</tbody>
Sheet4
 
Last edited:

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I can enter COLUMNS($Z:Z) instead of COLUMNS($A:A) and I still get the right answers. Why does it do this ..
=VLOOKUP($B13,$A$2:$E$11,COLUMNS($A:A)+1,0)
Because COLUMNS($A:A) returns 1 and COLUMNS($Z:Z) also returns 1
If you drag it across one column..
COLUMNS($A:B) returns 2 and COLUMNS($Z:AA) returns 2
 
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