#N/A Error in XLOOKUP: Causes and Solutions

#N/A

+XLOOKUP

XLOOKUP is a powerful Excel function designed to find and return values from arrays with greater flexibility than its predecessors. However, even experienced users frequently encounter the #N/A error when working with XLOOKUP. This error occurs when the function cannot locate your lookup value within the specified lookup array, but it's rarely a sign of a fundamental problem. The #N/A error in XLOOKUP is remarkably common and straightforward to resolve. Most cases stem from simple issues: mismatched data types, trailing spaces in your data, incorrect array ranges, or case sensitivity in text comparisons. Understanding why these situations trigger #N/A empowers you to quickly diagnose and fix the problem. This guide walks you through the most frequent causes of XLOOKUP's #N/A error and provides practical solutions to get your formulas working correctly.

Why XLOOKUP causes #N/A

Lookup value not found in lookup_array

The lookup_value doesn't exist in the lookup_array, and no [if_not_found] parameter is specified to handle the missing value. XLOOKUP returns #N/A by default when no match is found.

=XLOOKUP("Smith", A2:A100, B2:B100) where "Smith" doesn't exist in the range A2:A100

Incorrect match_mode for your data

You're using match_mode 1 (exact match or next smallest) or -1 (exact match or next largest) on unsorted data, or the lookup_value falls outside the sortable range. XLOOKUP requires sorted data for these modes and returns #N/A when no valid match exists.

=XLOOKUP(25, A2:A100, B2:B100, , 1) where A2:A100 is unsorted and 25 has no exact match

Mismatched array sizes or structural issues

The lookup_array and return_array have different dimensions or one of the arrays is empty/contains only errors. XLOOKUP cannot process the lookup if the arrays aren't compatible or if the lookup_array contains no valid data to search.

=XLOOKUP("Jan", A2:A5, B2:B100) where the return_array is much larger than the lookup_array, or =XLOOKUP("Jan", {}, B2:B100) with an empty lookup array

Step-by-Step Solution

1Click on the cell displaying the #N/A error to select it and view the complete XLOOKUP formula in the formula bar (Ctrl+` to toggle formula view if needed)
2Identify the lookup_value parameter—verify it's not empty, not a typo, and matches the data type (text vs. number) of values in your lookup_array
3Check your lookup_array range to confirm it contains the value you're searching for; use Ctrl+F to search within that range if the dataset is large
4Verify that your return_array is the correct size and corresponds to your lookup_array; mismatched ranges cause #N/A errors
5Review the match_mode parameter (0 for exact match is default); if you used 1, -1, or 2, confirm this search type is appropriate for your data
6If the lookup value legitimately might not exist, wrap your XLOOKUP in IFERROR: =IFERROR(XLOOKUP(lookup_value, lookup_array, return_array), 'Not Found') and press Enter
7Test the corrected formula by pressing F9 to recalculate or by changing the lookup_value to a value you know exists in the array to confirm the formula structure is correct
8If still unresolved, check for hidden spaces or special characters in either the lookup_value or lookup_array using the TRIM function: =XLOOKUP(TRIM(lookup_value), TRIM(lookup_array), return_array)

Concrete Example

Employee salary lookup in HR database

An HR manager uses XLOOKUP to retrieve employee salaries from a master database. The lookup table contains employee IDs and corresponding salaries. Multiple sheets are involved: 'Requests' (where lookups occur) and 'PayrollMaster' (source data).

Before (error)

=XLOOKUP(A2,PayrollMaster!A:A,PayrollMaster!C:C)

After (fixed)

=IFERROR(XLOOKUP(TRIM(A2),TRIM(PayrollMaster!A:A),PayrollMaster!C:C),"Employee not found")

Problem: The #N/A error appears because employee IDs in the Requests sheet contain leading/trailing spaces or are formatted differently (text vs. numbers) than in the PayrollMaster sheet. XLOOKUP performs exact matches by default and cannot find 'E1025 ' (with space) when the source contains 'E1025' (without space).

Solution: Use TRIM() to remove extra spaces from the lookup value and ensure both lookup and return arrays reference the correct range. Alternatively, use IFERROR() to handle missing matches gracefully with a custom message.

Prevention Tip

Always include the [if_not_found] parameter in your XLOOKUP formula to handle missing values explicitly, rather than relying on the default #N/A error. For example, use =XLOOKUP(lookup_value, lookup_array, return_array, "Not Found") to display a custom message instead of an error.

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