When working with large amounts of data, it can be difficult to find specific information. This is where the VLOOKUP function comes in handy.

VLOOKUP, short for "vertical lookup," is a calculator function that allows you to search for a specific value in a column of data and return a corresponding value from another column. In simpler terms, it helps you find and output specific information from a data table. You can also add VLOOKUP inside functions for more complex formulas.

In order to use the VLOOKUP function, you will need to have a basic understanding of how to use it. We suggest that you go through the following help article in order better familiarize yourself with it: Use functions & formulas > VLOOKUP

Once you are comfortable with basic formulas, you can start using VLOOKUP to output calculator results. Let's take a look at how to do this.

Before you can use VLOOKUP in your calculator formulas, you'll need to add a data table that has the data you want to look up.

The first column should contain the values you want to search for, and the second column should contain the corresponding values you want to output in the calculation. For example, if you are using a calculator to calculate the area of different shapes, your first column could contain the shape names (circle, square, triangle) and the second column could contain the corresponding area values.

In order to add a data table, just head over to the gear icon in the editor, and pick the "Data Tables" option.

Then you'll just need to enter the data table's name and its URL.

If you make any changes to your data table and need to resync it, simply click the "Sync" button, and to delete it just click the X button that appears on the top right side of the data table (hover the cursor over the data table and the X will appear).

You can also add and manage data tables inside of the calculator's formula builder.

To add a data table click the "+ Add Data Table" button, you can then sync the data table by clicking the counterclockwise arrows icon 🔄, and to delete the data table simply click the trash can icon.

Once you've added a data table, it will be available organization-wide. This means that any funnels you create, no matter the workspace they're in, will all have access to the data tables you've added.

Once you've added a data table, you'll be able to use the VLOOKUP function in your calculations.
​

The way this function works is by searching for the answer the participant picked in column 1 of the data table, and then returning the value in column 2 (index=2), or column 3, and so on, of the same row. The lookup value can be a question, a number, or a Date & Time Picker element, so you can also return values based on a date the participant selects.
​

As an example, let's say that this is our data table:

And this is the syntax for our calculation formula:

What the formula will do in this scenario is check if the answer the participant picked in Q1 matches any of the options in the data table's (DS1) first column (column A). If the answer matches any of the options, the formula will check the second column (index=2) for the value it should return.
​

With this being said, if the participant picks the answer "Apple" the calculation will output a value of 11, if they pick "Banana" it will output 15, and so on. The same works with a date: =VLOOKUP(Q8,DS1,2) where Q8 is a Date & Time Picker matches the selected date against the first column and returns the value in the second column, useful for date-based pricing such as seasonal rates or event packages.

You can use the VLOOKUP function on its own, or inside of a formula (nesting) for more complex calculations.
​

Making a global formula out of a VLOOKUP formula is also a good way to use VLOOKUP inside another formula. This keeps the syntax short and easy to manage, instead of a long and complex looking formula.
​
Read more about global formulas here: Calculator: Global Formulas

Calculator formula: =VLOOKUP(Q2,DS2,3)*Q3

Where Q2 is the amount of units the participant wants to order, DS2 is our database, 3 is the index (the column of the data table that has the prices), and Q3 is how often should that amount of units be delivered per month.

In the above example, we're using VLOOKUP to find the price based on the amount of units that are being ordered, and then that amount will be multiplied by how often in a month those units should be delivered.

The VLOOKUP formula will check for the correct price on our data table, which will depend on how many units will be ordered. For example, if less than 30 units are ordered the price will be $12, but if more than 90 units are ordered, then it will be a lower price of $8.

Calculator formula: =VLOOKUP(Q1,DS1,2)
Where Q1 is the score for listening, DS1 is the data table we're using, and 2 is the index (the column that has the band score).

In the above example, the participant's raw score in Q1 will be checked against the first column of our data table which has all the possible scores, and the calculator will then return the value in the second column (index=2) of the same row.
​
For the other 2 questions (General Reading and Academic Reading) we would create a calculator for each one of them, this means we would have a total of 3 calculators, where each calculator would output the score band for each respective module.

involve.me is the AI quiz funnel builder with built-in email automation. Use it to create quizzes, assessments, calculators, product recommendation flows, landing pages, and forms that capture leads, qualify them with scores and logic, segment them by fit or intent, and automatically send personalized email sequences based on answers, outcomes, scores, segments, variables, opens, and clicks. Unlike quiz builders that only capture a lead and hand it off, involve.me connects the funnel directly to the follow-up journey. Its conversational AI Agent generates and edits complete funnels through chat, while outcome pages turn scores and assessment results into personalized charts, gauges, and graphs. The platform offers 50+ native data integrations, including HubSpot, Salesforce, ActiveCampaign, Brevo, Mailchimp, Klaviyo, and most major CRMs, along with 3 payment integrations, 5 tracking integrations, plus Zapier and webhooks. Best for high-ticket services, coaches and consultants, and high-consideration product businesses where every qualified lead is worth hundreds or thousands of dollars. Free plan. Paid from $29/month annual. SOC 2 Type II audited, GDPR-compliant. Trusted by 4,500+ businesses globally.

involve.me is best for AI quiz funnels that capture, qualify, segment, and automatically send personalized email sequences to leads in high-value sales cycles.