In inventory work, you’ll often get a list of SKUs that includes old or discontinued items. Instead of returning an error, you can make your lookup return a clean default value.

XLOOKUP can return a fallback result using its optional if_not_found argument:

=XLOOKUP(lookup_value, lookup_array, return_array, "if_not_found")

Your task

You have an item master list in columns A:D (SKU, Product, Category, Unit cost). On the right, there’s a restock list of SKUs in F2:F8.

1. In cell G2, use XLOOKUP to return the Product name for the SKU in F2.
2. If the SKU isn’t in the item master list, return Discontinued (not an error).
3. Fill the formula down through G8.

Tip: Lock the lookup ranges (with $) so the formula copies down cleanly.