What is the function of the HLOOKUP formula in Excel?

The HLOOKUP formula in Excel is designed to search for a specific value in the top row of a table or a range of cells and subsequently returns a value from a specified row in that column. When utilizing HLOOKUP, the user specifies the value to search for, the range of cells to look into, and the row index number from which to return the corresponding value.

This function is particularly useful when working with horizontal data arrangements where the key values are organized across the top of the dataset. It enables users to efficiently retrieve relevant data without manually scanning through the table, making data analysis and reporting more streamlined and effective.

The other options describe functionalities that are not part of HLOOKUP. For instance, searching a value in the left column of a table is characteristic of the VLOOKUP function. Looking up data in a specific cell is a more general operation that does not apply to the specific search and retrieval capabilities defined for HLOOKUP. Finally, counting horizontal data across worksheets is not related to HLOOKUP but rather would involve different functions typically focused on aggregating or counting data.