XLOOKUP If Not Found
Return a clear message instead of #N/A when no match exists.
What this solves
Label materials missing from a master list. This pattern is useful when the business question is clear but a generic tutorial is too abstract.
The rule
Use XLOOKUP’s if_not_found argument.
=XLOOKUP(A2,Master!A:A,Master!B:B,"Missing")Google Sheets: The core pattern is also usable in Google Sheets; exact function support and locale separators can differ.
Real-work checklist
- Define the business key and expected grain before writing the formula, query or markup.
- Test the pattern on a small known sample where you can verify the answer manually.
- Check missing values, duplicates and data types before trusting a large result.
- Scale to the real file or database only after the logic is proven.
Common mistake
Do not hide unexpected data quality issues with an empty string unless that is truly desired.