Rookie mcsteak
The vlookup is the formulas of old, similar to a 2000 Buick lesabre. It's ugly, and, it gets you where you need to go. If you're willing to do a little work to it like the poster suggested.
Indexing is the Cadillac CTSV of lookup formulas. Clean, stylish; powerful. It eliminates the need to manipulate your data or do any sorting. It eliminates opportunity for error.