AI Excel formulas for VLOOKUP and XLOOKUP checklist

Checklist

Raw source material is preserved before AI edits begin.The desired output format is written explicitly.Edge cases, missing values, and exceptions are listed.The first output is reviewed against real examples.The final prompt is stored for reuse.Sensitive or policy-heavy cases get manual review.List lookup key, return column, and match behavior.Show one successful row and one missing result.Ask for formula, explanation, and failure cases.Test duplicates, blanks, and missing values before copying down.

Mistakes to avoid

not defining exact versus approximate match

Make the prompt more specific, keep the source data visible, and review the output before using it in a live workflow.

ignoring duplicate lookup keys

Make the prompt more specific, keep the source data visible, and review the output before using it in a live workflow.

copying formulas without locking ranges

Make the prompt more specific, keep the source data visible, and review the output before using it in a live workflow.

not testing missing values

Make the prompt more specific, keep the source data visible, and review the output before using it in a live workflow.

Related workflow pages