Fix INDEX / MATCH two-criteria #N/A in Google Sheets

MATCH finds one key in one column. Two conditions (region and sku) need a single position that satisfies both. MATCH(101,sku,0) returns the first 101, even when you meant West. #N/A means that pair never occurs, or you still matched on one column. The reliable sheet pattern is INDEX(result, MATCH(1, (region=East)*(sku=101), 0)) as an array, or FILTER.

This page is two-criteria INDEX/MATCH. It is not two-way lookup (row header and column header into a grid). It is not MATCH no match as a one-column primer. It is not XLOOKUP #N/A. Keep the Google Sheets UI in English.

Recreate it on a blank sheet

1. Open a blank spreadsheet. In A1 type region, B1 sku, C1 bin. A2 East. B2 101. C2 A. A3 West. B3 101. C3 Z. A4 East. B4 102. C4 B. Sku 101 exists twice, different bins.

Single MATCH (wrong grain). In E1 type sku_only. In E2 enter =INDEX(C2:C4,MATCH(101,B2:B4,0)). The cell shows A. You wanted West 101 → Z. MATCH stopped at the first 101. Leave E2 as that wrong bin (not #N/A). It is the usual silent failure.

Two MATCH stacked (still wrong). In E4 enter =INDEX(C2:C4,MATCH("West",A2:A4,0),MATCH(101,B2:B4,0)). Extra MATCH as a column index into C2:C4 (one column) → #REF! or a nonsense cell. Leave E4 broken. That shape is for two-way lookup, a 2-D grid, not a fact table.

Boolean MATCH (works). In G1 type pair. In G2 enter =INDEX(C2:C4,MATCH(1,(A2:A4="West")*(B2:B4=101),0)). Confirm with Ctrl+Shift+Enter only on a legacy array sheet; in modern Sheets it usually spills as a scalar Z. If G2 is #N/A, wrap the products in ARRAYFORMULA: =INDEX(C2:C4,MATCH(1,ARRAYFORMULA((A2:A4="West")*(B2:B4=101)),0)). That cell is the control: West + 101 = Z.

Pair that does not exist. In G5 enter =INDEX(C2:C4,MATCH(1,ARRAYFORMULA((A2:A4="West")*(B2:B4=102)),0)). West has no 102. #N/A. Leave G5 broken. True miss.

FILTER equivalent. In I2 enter =FILTER(C2:C4,(A2:A4="West")*(B2:B4=101)). Z. Zero rows would be FILTER no match.

Leave E2 as the first-sku trap. Leave G5 as pair #N/A. Leave G2 as Z.

What is actually wrong

• One MATCH on sku cannot see region. Duplicate skus make E2 look “successful” and still wrong. #N/A is not the only failure mode; wrong bin is worse.
• (region="West")*(sku=101) makes a 1/0 array. MATCH(1, …, 0) finds the first row where both are true. That is one position for INDEX.
• Two MATCHes as row and column belong on a matrix (stores × months). On a single bin column, the second MATCH is an INDEX column past 1 → #REF!. See INDEX past range and two-way lookup.
• A genuine missing pair is #N/A (G5). Confirm by adding West/102 and watching G5 become a bin, then undo.

This is not XLOOKUP of one key. XLOOKUP can take one search column. For two criteria, FILTER or the boolean MATCH (or concatenated keys) still apply. See XLOOKUP #N/A.

This is not number vs text on a single sku. See VLOOKUP no match. Both 101s are numbers.

Fix

Leave E2, E4, and G5 as the traps.

Boolean INDEX/MATCH. Keep G2 (with ARRAYFORMULA if needed). Concatenated-key alternative: helper =A2&"|"&B2 copied down, then =INDEX(C2:C4,MATCH("West|101",helpers,0)).

FILTER when you might have two matching rows: =FILTER(C2:C4,(A2:A4="West")*(B2:B4=101)). INDEX/MATCH returns only the first 1.

True miss: put the pair on the table, or =IFNA(G5-pattern,"none") after you have confirmed West/102 should be optional. See IFERROR vs IFNA. Do not IFNA E2 — it is not #N/A.

If the bin is the first duplicate, you matched one column. If #N/A and you can see the pair, check ARRAYFORMULA and exact region spelling. If #REF! with two MATCHes, you used the two-way shape on a list.

One MATCH vs boolean pair vs two-way grid

Sku-only MATCH → first 101 (E2). Silent.

(region)*(sku) MATCH → one fact-table row (G2). This page.

INDEX(grid, MATCH(row_hdr), MATCH(col_hdr)) → two-way lookup. Headers on both axes, values in the body. Not a region column next to a sku column.