1

VLOOKUP is an Excel function that

pulls information from a database

into another documents such as an

invoice. The example to the left

shows tracking of instructor books.

The second sheet is where I would

like to track the books that are

handed out to instructors, I am

basically auto filling the information

from the original database just by

typing in the “Item Number”.

Please note that there are hundreds of instructor

books, VLOOKUP saves a lot of time. Rather than

looking through binders and papers I have used a

formula.

The Lookup_value is the “Item

Number”, the Table_array is all the

information I want pulled from the

original database, and the

Col_index_num fills what information

I am looking for. Since I have started

the VLOOKUP with B5 selected I enter

2, for column 2.

As you can see below the “Book

Name” is now listed

VLOOKUP

2

Using the Total Row or SUM function

is useful and accurate. I used this

function to check the costs of the

instructor books to then add this

information to the official inventory

tracking sheet.

Total Row

Goal Seek is often used in sales, to

find out how much an items has to

change to meet a goal. For my

example I have the book sales

comparison. My goal is to see what

kind of price increase I would need to

apply to a book or sales or books per

that term.

I select the amount sold this term

enter the amount sold last term as

the goal and Goal Seek what sales

increase or price increase I would

need for the English books only. The

answer is listed to the left.

Goal Seek

3

Pivot Chart Pivot Charts make it easier to see the

information within the database. It is

usually easier to read. In my example

to the left I have decided to make a

Pivot Chart for the Term 2152, using

this I can also separate and filter

items by row.

4

Conditional Formatting can be used

as a great visual reference. I have

used it in the example to the left to

show sales. Without looking at the

numbers one can tell that the Bio

Chem books were the most sold

books.

Conditional Formatting

IF Function The IF Function is great to use while

comparing items in a database or on

a spreadsheet. For the example to the

left I wanted to state if “Action was

required” for the damaged books. I

constructed an “equal to” function

which stated that IF F-2 was a “Y”

then I-2 would state Yes or No

depending on if there were damaged

books. I choose to have no action for

the damaged books at this time since

they are being discontinued.

5

Please note:

Graphic in the background

Color and renaming of worksheet tabs

Insertion of hyperlink

Insertion of header and footer

Hiding rows and columns

6

Protected worksheet “Term 2152 &

2162)

Added chart

Formatted table

Changed the column width

Froze the top row of the

worksheet

7

Date function

Now function