What does the VLOOKUP function do?

The VLOOKUP function is designed to search for a specific value in the first column of a designated table array and then return a corresponding value from another column in the same row. This is particularly useful for looking up data in large datasets, where the user might need to find related information based on a unique identifier. For example, if a user wants to find an employee's department based on their employee ID, VLOOKUP can efficiently retrieve that information by searching the ID in the first column and returning the corresponding department from a specified column in that row.

The functionality of VLOOKUP is fundamental in spreadsheet applications, as it allows for data retrieval that supports analysis and reporting tasks. It does not perform operations to filter data or summarize multiple sheets, which are distinct capabilities attributed to different functions or tools within spreadsheet software.