• The Workbook
  • Posts
  • The formula that finds what you can’t 👀

The formula that finds what you can’t 👀

I’m obsessed with this advanced XLOOKUP trick!

May 21, 2026

Hi there! Here’s some Microsoft trivia for you: Which one of these products never changed its name? 

  1. PowerPoint 

  2. Outlook

  3. Excel 

Keep reading for the answer. Hint: It’s the youngest of the three (it was launched in the ’90s!). 

The Formula That Finds What You Can’t 🔍

It’s a Thursday morning when your HR manager sends over three employee IDs. “Can you pull their details from the master list? Thanks!” 

No problem. You grab the first two, but the third one? Nowhere to be found…so you scan the rows again. And again. By the sixth pass, you’re wondering if that ID actually exists or if your brain just stopped working. 🫠

Wouldn’t it be nice if a formula could just tell you? 

That’s what this XLOOKUP trick is for! It’ll pull each employee’s full details in seconds. And if an ID isn’t in the spreadsheet? It can tell you that, too. Here’s how it works:  

Step 1) Click into your desired cell and type =XLOOKUP(

Step 2) Select your lookup value and type a comma 

Step 3) Select the Employee ID column. Press F4 to lock it, then type a comma 

Step 4) Select your return array. Press F4 to lock it, then type a comma

Step 5) Type “Not Found” 

Step 6) Close the parentheses, hit Enter, and drag down! 

Voila! As you suspected, XLOOKUP confirmed that the third ID doesn’t exist. Here’s to tech tricks that keep you sane! 😅

Three Science-Backed Ways to Get in the WFH Zone

I love working from home. But I won’t lie—when I first made the switch from office office to home office in 2020, my whole idea of “productivity” flew out the window. 

Back in my corporate days, I’d get dressed, commute, and work alongside coworkers. But when you’re WFH? It’s easy to roll out of bed, grab your laptop, and work in your pajamas (camera off, of course 🙃). 

I quickly realized I wouldn’t be as productive working from home if I didn’t make some changes. Here are three (science-approved!) things I did to reclaim my productivity: 

  1. Let the light in. ☀️

Cornell University professor Alan Hedge found that workers in day-lit office environments reported an 84% drop in eyestrain, headaches, and blurred vision. If you can move your desk toward a window, do it! 

  1. Splash cold water on your face. 💧

This is my go-to when I hit that 3 PM wall: splashing ice-cold water on my face. Neuroscientist Dr. Hayley Nelson says that cold water can trigger norepinephrine—a neurotransmitter that boosts alertness, attention, and mood. 

  1. Dress up. 🧑‍🏫

Bad news for my pajama workers: A study from the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology found that our clothes influence our behaviors. In other words? Wearing clothes you associate with a successful workplace (so definitely not pajamas) can boost your performance.

  • I cannot wait to read Natalie Ellis’ new book, The Freedom-Based Business Method! 🤩 Natalie is the CEO of Bossbabe and teaches people how to build businesses that lead to financial success and lifestyle freedom. If you’ve ever wanted to start a business, you’ll love this. Pre-order your copy today! 

  • I’m not surprised 50K people watched this XLOOKUP trick. 👀

  • The bite-sized Excel shortcut that makes gridlines disappear. 

  • Don’t watch this Excel tip (unless you want to leave the office early). 

  • This two-step XLOOKUP hack broke my comments section. 💬

Thanks for reading! The answer to our Microsoft trivia? Outlook! Excel used to go by Multiplan and PowerPoint was once Presenter. But Outlook? She knew who she was from day one. ✉️

Stay Exceling,

Kat