Excel for Accounting Professionals Session 5: Error Trapping and Improving Lookups
March 11, 2026
Webcast Replay
2 CPE Credits
Excel for Accounting Professionals Session 5: Error Trapping and Improving Lookups
Practical hands-on Excel learning exercises taught by a highly engaging expert in the field You’ll develop your expertise with real-world Excel workbooks. Despite the popularity of VLOOKUP, it has its drawbacks. This session will address these drawbacks while offering alternatives. You’ll walk through the VLOOKUP and IFERROR functions, and explore the following topics:
Improving the use of VLOOKUP with VALUE/TEXT
Improving the use of VLOOKUP with MATCH.
Moving beyond VLOOKUP with INDEX
Trapping errors with IFERROR Moving beyond basic Excel functions Grasping the limitations and possible enhancements for the VLOOKUP feature, along with methods to handle errors can elevate your proficiency in Excel. You’ll also partake in hands-on Excel activities that showcase the integration of functions and their use in crafting spreadsheets, encompassing:
Combining functions to enhance flexibility
Utilizing functions for atypical data categories
Perfecting sophisticated lookup functions *Session 5 is one of eight sessions that is available as an individual session. Each session builds on the prior sessions, so you'll want to consider watching [Session 6: List Comparisons and Indenting] (https://www.aicpa-cima.com/cpe-learning/webcast/excel-for-accounting-professionals-session-6--list-comparisons-and-indenting) to further prepare to tackle real-world issues and build powerful workbooks.*
Learning Objectives
Apply the use of VLOOKUP with MATCH to search information effectively in Excel.
Apply the use of VLOOKUP with VALUE/TEXT to increase VLOOKUP functionality.
Determine when to move beyond VLOOKUP with the INDEX function.
Identify ways to trap errors with IFERROR.
Use the IF function.
Major Topics
VLOOKUP function
MATCH function
INDEX function
Error trapping
IF function
CPE Credits Available
2 CPE Credits
2
Specialized Knowledge
Things to Know About This Course
Course Level
Intermediate
Professional Area of Focus
Technology
Prerequisites
Working knowledge of Excel
Advanced Preparation
None
Intended Audience
Accounting and finance professionals who'd like to improve their mastery of Microsoft Excel
