Excel INDEX Function is a powerful tool that helps you retrieve values from a table or range in your spreadsheet. It’s like finding a specific item in a huge store by knowing its coordinates – row and column.
Syntax
The syntax for the INDEX function is:
INDEX(array, [row_num], [column_num])
Arguments
| array | This is the range or array from which you want to retrieve data. |
| [row_num] | (Optional) This is the row number from which you want to fetch data. If omitted, the function returns the entire column specified by column_num. |
| [column_num] | (Optional) This is the column number from which you want to fetch data. If omitted, the function returns the entire row specified by row_num. |
How to use
The INDEX function is used to extract data from a specified cell within a table or range. Let’s look at a few examples to understand how to use it:
Example 1: Retrieving a specific cell value
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1 |
=INDEX(A1:D4, 2, 3) |
This formula retrieves the value from the cell at the second row and third column within the range A1:D4.
Example 2: Retrieving an entire row or column
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1 |
=INDEX(A1:D4, 3) |
This formula retrieves the entire third row from the range A1:D4. If you want an entire column, just swap the arguments like this: =INDEX(A1:D4, , 2).
Example 3: Dynamic data extraction
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1 |
=INDEX($A$1:$D$4, MATCH("Apples", $A$1:$A$4, 0), MATCH("Oranges", $A$1:$D$1, 0)) |
This formula retrieves the value where “Apples” and “Oranges” intersect in a table. It uses the MATCH function to find the row and column numbers dynamically.
The INDEX function is handy for various tasks, such as building dynamic dashboards, lookup tables, and more. It’s a valuable tool to have in your Excel toolkit.