How to Use Wildcard with XLOOKUP: A Comprehensive Guide

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XLOOKUP is a powerful Excel function that allows you to search for specific data in a range or table. Using wildcards with XLOOKUP enhances its flexibility, enabling you to perform partial matches and more complex searches. This article will explain how to use wildcards with XLOOKUP, providing step-by-step instructions, examples, and best practices.

What are Wildcards?

Wildcards are special characters that represent unknown or variable characters in a search pattern. In Excel, the main wildcards are:

• Asterisk (*): Represents any number of characters
• Question mark (?): Represents a single character
• Tilde (~): Used to search for actual asterisks or question marks

Wildcards are incredibly useful when you need to search for patterns in your data rather than exact matches. They allow for more flexible and dynamic searches, which can be particularly helpful when dealing with large or inconsistent datasets.

Benefits of Using Wildcards with XLOOKUP

Combining wildcards with XLOOKUP allows you to:

1. Perform partial matches
2. Search for patterns in data
3. Handle inconsistent or incomplete data
4. Create more flexible and dynamic formulas

These capabilities make wildcard XLOOKUP an essential tool for data analysis, especially when dealing with complex datasets or when you need to create flexible search criteria.

Basic Syntax of XLOOKUP with Wildcards

The basic syntax of XLOOKUP is:

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

To use wildcards, you’ll need to modify the lookup_value and set the match_mode argument to 2 for wildcard matching. Here’s a breakdown of each argument:

• lookup_value: The value you’re searching for (can include wildcards)
• lookup_array: The range where you’re searching
• return_array: The range containing the values you want to return
• [if_not_found]: Optional. What to return if no match is found
• [match_mode]: Set to 2 for wildcard matching
• [search_mode]: Optional. Determines the search order

How to Use Asterisk (*) Wildcard with XLOOKUP

The asterisk wildcard matches any number of characters. It’s particularly useful when you’re not sure about part of the text you’re searching for.

Example 1: Searching for Names Starting with a Specific Letter

Let’s say you have a list of names and want to find all people whose names start with “J”.

=XLOOKUP("J*", A2:A100, B2:B100, "Not found", 2)

This formula will return the corresponding value for the first name starting with “J” in column B. The asterisk after “J” means “followed by any number of characters.”

Example 2: Finding Products with a Specific Word

If you’re searching for products containing the word “phone” anywhere in their name:

=XLOOKUP("*phone*", A2:A100, B2:B100, "Not found", 2)

This will match “smartphone”, “telephone”, “microphone”, etc. The asterisks before and after “phone” allow for any characters before or after the word.

Example 3: Searching for Items with a Specific Ending

To find items that end with a particular string, you can use the asterisk at the beginning of your search term:

=XLOOKUP("*tion", A2:A100, B2:B100, "Not found", 2)

This would match words like “action”, “motion”, “reaction”, etc.

Using Question Mark (?) Wildcard with XLOOKUP

The question mark wildcard represents a single character. It’s useful when you know the length of the text you’re searching for or when you want to match a specific pattern.

Example 4: Matching a Specific Pattern

To find a 5-letter word starting with “a” and ending with “e”:

=XLOOKUP("a???e", A2:A100, B2:B100, "Not found", 2)

This would match words like “apple”, “azure”, “awake”, etc. Each question mark represents exactly one character.

Example 5: Finding Specific Product Codes

If your product codes follow a pattern like “AB-123”:

=XLOOKUP("AB-???", A2:A100, B2:B100, "Not found", 2)

This will match any product code starting with “AB-” followed by any three characters. It’s particularly useful when you’re dealing with standardized codes or IDs.

Example 6: Searching for Specific Date Formats

If you’re looking for dates in a specific format, like “DD-MM-YY”:

=XLOOKUP("??-??-??", A2:A100, B2:B100, "Not found", 2)

This will match any string with two characters, followed by a hyphen, two more characters, another hyphen, and two final characters.

Combining Asterisk and Question Mark Wildcards

You can use both wildcards together for more complex searches, allowing for even greater flexibility in your lookups.

Example 7: Searching for Email Addresses

To find email addresses from a specific domain:

=XLOOKUP("*@???.com", A2:A100, B2:B100, "Not found", 2)

This will match email addresses with any three-letter domain ending in “.com”. The asterisk allows for any username, while the question marks specify a three-letter domain.

Example 8: Finding Items with Specific Patterns

If you’re looking for product codes that start with two letters, followed by any number of digits, and end with two letters:

=XLOOKUP("??*??", A2:A100, B2:B100, "Not found", 2)

This would match codes like “AB123XY”, “CD4567ZW”, etc.

Using Tilde (~) to Search for Actual Asterisks or Question Marks

If you need to search for actual asterisks or question marks in your data, use the tilde character. This is called “escaping” the wildcard character.

Example 9: Finding Entries with Asterisks

To find product names containing an asterisk:

=XLOOKUP("*~**", A2:A100, B2:B100, "Not found", 2)

This will match entries like “5* Hotel” or “A* Grade”. The tilde before the asterisk tells Excel to treat it as a literal asterisk, not a wildcard.

Example 10: Searching for Question Marks

If you need to find entries that include question marks:

=XLOOKUP("*~?*", A2:A100, B2:B100, "Not found", 2)

This will match any entry containing a question mark, like “What?” or “Test?123”.

Advanced Techniques for Using Wildcards with XLOOKUP

Combining XLOOKUP with Other Functions

You can make your wildcard searches more dynamic by combining XLOOKUP with other functions. This allows for more complex and flexible lookups.

Example 11: Using CONCATENATE for Dynamic Searches

=XLOOKUP(CONCATENATE(D1,"*"), A2:A100, B2:B100, "Not found", 2)

This allows you to change the search term in cell D1, making your lookup more flexible. You could use this to create a dynamic search box in your spreadsheet.

Example 12: Using LEFT for Partial Matches

=XLOOKUP(LEFT(E1,3)&"*", A2:A100, B2:B100, "Not found", 2)

This formula uses the LEFT function to take the first three characters of whatever is in cell E1, then adds an asterisk. This allows for flexible partial matching.

Using Arrays with Wildcard XLOOKUP

XLOOKUP can return multiple results when used with wildcards. Here’s how to handle this:

Example 13: Returning Multiple Matches

=FILTER(B2:B100, ISNUMBER(SEARCH("J*", A2:A100)))

This formula will return all entries in column B where the corresponding value in column A starts with “J”. It combines FILTER with SEARCH to create a powerful wildcard search that returns multiple results.

Example 14: Counting Matches

To count how many items match your wildcard search:

=COUNTIF(A2:A100, "J*")

This will count how many entries in column A start with “J”.

Best Practices for Using Wildcards with XLOOKUP

1. Be specific: Use wildcards judiciously to avoid returning too many matches. The more specific your search pattern, the more useful your results will be.
2. Consider performance: Wildcard searches can be slower, especially on large datasets. If you’re working with a very large spreadsheet, consider ways to optimize your formulas or limit the search range.
3. Handle errors: Always use the [if_not_found] argument to manage cases where no match is found. This will make your formulas more robust and easier to troubleshoot.
4. Test thoroughly: Wildcard searches can sometimes produce unexpected results, so test your formulas with various inputs. Make sure they handle edge cases correctly.
5. Document your formulas: When using complex wildcard patterns, it’s a good idea to add comments explaining what the formula does. This will help you and others understand the formula later.
6. Consider data validation: If you’re allowing users to input search terms, consider using data validation to ensure they’re entering valid wildcard patterns.

Common Errors and Troubleshooting

Error: #N/A

This usually means no match was found. Make sure your wildcard pattern isn’t too specific. If you’re certain there should be a match, double-check your data for inconsistencies like extra spaces or different letter cases.

Error: #VALUE!

This can occur if your lookup_value isn’t text. Ensure you’re using text values or wrap your lookup_value in the TEXT() function. For example:

=XLOOKUP(TEXT(A1, "000"), B2:B100, C2:C100, "Not found", 2)

Unexpected Results

If you’re getting unexpected matches, double-check your wildcard pattern and ensure you’ve set match_mode to 2. Remember that wildcards can sometimes match more than you intend, so review your results carefully.

Comparing Wildcard XLOOKUP with Other Excel Functions

Each of these functions has its strengths and weaknesses. XLOOKUP with wildcards offers a good balance of power and ease of use, but it’s not available in older versions of Excel. VLOOKUP is more widely compatible but less flexible. INDEX/MATCH can do everything XLOOKUP can, but with a more complex formula. FILTER is great for returning multiple results but, like XLOOKUP, is only available in newer Excel versions.

Practical Applications of Wildcard XLOOKUP

1. Customer Database Management: Quickly find customers with similar names or from specific regions. For example, you could search for all customers in California using a wildcard search for addresses ending in “CA”.
2. Inventory Control: Search for products with particular attributes or codes. You could use wildcards to find all products in a certain category or with specific features.
3. Data Cleaning: Identify and correct inconsistencies in data entry. Wildcard searches can help you find entries that don’t conform to expected patterns, allowing you to clean your data more effectively.
4. Financial Analysis: Find transactions matching certain patterns or criteria. For instance, you could use wildcards to search for all transactions over a certain amount or from a particular vendor.
5. Text Analysis: In literary or linguistic studies, you could use wildcards to find words with specific prefixes, suffixes, or patterns.
6. Project Management: Search for tasks or milestones with certain keywords or codes in a large project plan.
7. HR and Recruitment: Search through job applications or employee databases for specific qualifications or experiences.

Final Thoughts

Using wildcards with XLOOKUP significantly expands your ability to search and analyze data in Excel. By mastering this technique, you can create more flexible, powerful formulas that adapt to your data analysis needs. Whether you’re working with customer databases, financial records, or any other type of structured data, wildcard XLOOKUP provides a versatile tool for finding the information you need.

Remember to use wildcards thoughtfully and test your formulas thoroughly to ensure accurate results. With practice, you’ll find that wildcard XLOOKUP becomes an indispensable part of your Excel toolkit, enabling you to handle complex data analysis tasks with ease and efficiency.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the main wildcards used in Excel’s XLOOKUP function?

The main wildcards used in Excel’s XLOOKUP function are: Asterisk (*) which represents any number of characters, Question mark (?) which represents a single character, and Tilde (~) which is used to search for actual asterisks or question marks.

How do I enable wildcard matching in XLOOKUP?

To enable wildcard matching in XLOOKUP, set the match_mode argument to 2. The syntax would look like this: =XLOOKUP(lookup_value, lookup_array, return_array, [if_not_found], 2, [search_mode])

Can I use multiple wildcards in a single XLOOKUP formula?

Yes, you can use multiple wildcards in a single XLOOKUP formula. For example, you could use ‘?a*’ to find any word that has ‘a’ as its second letter, followed by any number of characters.

Is XLOOKUP with wildcards available in all versions of Excel?

No, XLOOKUP is only available in Microsoft 365 and Excel 2021 or later. Earlier versions of Excel don’t support XLOOKUP, but you can use other functions like VLOOKUP or INDEX/MATCH with wildcards.

How can I make my wildcard searches case-sensitive?

XLOOKUP doesn’t have a built-in case-sensitive option. However, you can use the EXACT function in combination with XLOOKUP to create case-sensitive searches. For example: =XLOOKUP(TRUE, EXACT(A2:A100, ‘Search Term’), B2:B100)

What should I do if my wildcard XLOOKUP is returning unexpected results?

If your wildcard XLOOKUP is returning unexpected results, first ensure you’ve set the match_mode to 2 for wildcard matching. Then, double-check your wildcard pattern and make sure it’s not too broad. Also, review your data for inconsistencies like extra spaces or different letter cases that might affect the search.

Vaishvi Desai

Vaishvi Desai is the founder of Excelsamurai and a passionate Excel enthusiast with years of experience in data analysis and spreadsheet management. With a mission to help others harness the power of Excel, Vaishvi shares her expertise through concise, easy-to-follow tutorials on shortcuts, formulas, Pivot Tables, and VBA.