Formula guide · Excel and Google Sheets · Updated May 13, 2026
Two-Way Lookup in Excel or Google Sheets
Use INDEX MATCH MATCH to return a value at the intersection of a matching row and column.
Quick Answer
Use INDEX with one MATCH for the row and another MATCH for the column.
Copyable Formula
=INDEX(B2:D10,MATCH(G2,A2:A10,0),MATCH(H2,B1:D1,0))Syntax
=INDEX(data_range,MATCH(row_value,row_headers,0),MATCH(column_value,column_headers,0))Excel and Google Sheets
Worked Example
| A | B | C | D |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product | Jan | Feb | Mar |
| Keyboard | 120 | 140 | 160 |
| Mouse | 80 | 90 | 95 |
Result: Returns the value where the chosen product row and month column intersect.
Steps
- Use MATCH to find the row position.
- Use another MATCH to find the column position.
- Put both positions inside INDEX.
- Check that headers are unique.
Common Mistakes
- Including row labels inside the data range by accident.
- Selecting column headers that do not align with the data range.
- Using two-way lookup when a normalized table plus FILTER would be easier.
Excel vs Google Sheets Notes
The core idea works in both Excel and Google Sheets, but separators, function availability, and array behavior can vary by account, locale, and version.
Editorial check: This guide was last updated May 13, 2026. Formula behavior can vary by Excel version, Google Sheets rollout, and spreadsheet locale.