Overview
How to use
- 1
Upload your Source file — the spreadsheet you want to add data to.
- 2
Upload your Reference file — the spreadsheet containing the data you want to fetch.
- 3
Select the Lookup Key column from both files (the column they share in common).
- 4
Choose one or more Return Columns from the reference file.
- 5
Select a Match Mode: Exact, Wildcard (*,?), or Approximate (smart similarity).
- 6
Pick a Search Direction: First Match (top to bottom) or Last Match (bottom to top).
- 7
Set a custom Not Found Value (default is "N/A") for unmatched rows.
- 8
Click "Run XLOOKUP" to merge data, review the preview, then download as Excel.
Key Features
- Exact match lookups (case-insensitive)
- Wildcard matching using * and ? characters
- Approximate / fuzzy matching with adjustable sensitivity
- Fetch multiple return columns simultaneously
- Control search direction: First match or Last match
- Custom text for unmatched rows (not-found value)
- Match type audit: Exact, Wildcard, Approx, Not Found counts
- 100% in-browser processing — completely private and secure
- Export merged result as .xlsx Excel file
Frequently Asked Questions
What is XLOOKUP and how is it better than VLOOKUP?
XLOOKUP is a modern Excel function that replaces VLOOKUP. It supports left-to-right AND right-to-left lookups, returns multiple columns at once, lets you define what to return when no match is found, and supports wildcard and approximate matching — all things VLOOKUP cannot do natively.
Does the XLOOKUP tool support wildcard matching?
Yes! Enable Wildcard Mode and use * (any sequence of characters) or ? (any single character) in your lookup values. For example, "App*" will match "Apple", "Application", and "Apparel".
What is approximate / fuzzy matching?
Approximate matching uses string similarity algorithms to find the closest matching value even if the strings are not identical. This is useful when your data has typos, abbreviations, or formatting differences (e.g., "IBM Corp" vs "IBM Corporation").
Can I return multiple columns from the reference file?
Absolutely. Unlike traditional VLOOKUP which only returns one column, this XLOOKUP tool lets you select and return as many columns as you need in a single operation.
What does "Search Direction" mean?
"First Match" finds the topmost matching row in the reference file. "Last Match" finds the bottommost one. This matters when multiple rows share the same lookup key.
Is my data uploaded to a server?
No. All processing is done entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Your files are never uploaded to or stored on any server, making this tool 100% private and secure.