How to Handle "Value Not Found" with XLOOKUP in Excel?

How to Handle "Value Not Found" with XLOOKUP in Excel?

In Excel, one of the common issues users face during lookups is encountering a "value not found" situation. Traditionally, this required complex combinations of functions like IFERROR or IFNA to handle missing data. However, the XLOOKUP function simplifies this process significantly by offering a built-in argument for handling missing values.

What Causes "Value Not Found"?

When you're trying to look up a value that doesn’t exist in the lookup array, Excel usually returns a #N/A error — indicating that the value wasn’t found. Without proper handling, this error can break dashboards or confuse users.

XLOOKUP Syntax with Not Found Message:

=XLOOKUP(lookup_value, lookup_array, return_array, [if_not_found])

The fourth argument — [ if_not_found ] — is optional but powerful. It lets you define a custom message or fallback result if the lookup fails.

Real-Life Example:

The user enters the name "Mukesh" in cell I5.

The formula looks for "Mukesh" in column D2:D12 (Employee Names).

Since "Mukesh" is not listed, the formula returns and returen #N/A error

XLookup provide option to replace #N/A error with own words

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