Photo booth pricing is usually a short menu — two, three, four, or five hours, each a flat package. Put the menu in a table and let an exact-match VLOOKUP return the price for the hours a customer picks.
A four-hour wedding package returns $625 straight from the menu — no math, no rounding, just the listed price.
The example
Left, the events with hours booked; right, the package menu of hours and flat price.
| A | B | C | D | E | F | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Event | Hours | Price | Hours | Package | |
| 2 | Wedding | 4 | 625 | 2 | 400 | |
| 3 | Party | 2 | 400 | 3 | 525 | |
| 4 | Corporate | 5 | 700 | 4 | 625 | |
| 5 | 5 | 700 |
The formula
FALSE forces an exact match so only a listed package length returns a price:
How it works
A straight menu lookup:
VLOOKUP(B2,$E$2:$F$5,2,FALSE)searches the menu's hours column for an exact match to the hours booked.- The
FALSE(exact) flag means only a listed package length returns a price — there is no in-between. - Column 2 of the menu holds the flat package price that comes back.
- Lock the menu range with dollar signs so it does not drift when you copy the formula down the event list.
Reprice a package by editing the menu — every booking on that length re-prices with no formula changes.
Try it: interactive demo
Pick the hours booked; the menu is 2h $400, 3h $525, 4h $625, 5h $700.
Variations
Add an idle-hour hold
Charge a reduced rate for idle time between setup and start.
Scrapbook add-on
Add a flat album upgrade to the package price.
Pitfalls & errors
Exact-match VLOOKUP returns #N/A if the hours booked are not in the menu — a 3.5-hour request has no row. Add the half-hour options or switch to approximate match on sorted tiers.
Keep the menu on the same sheet or a named range. A menu buried on another tab still works, but a named range makes the formula read like plain English.
Practice workbook
Frequently asked questions
Why exact match instead of approximate?
What if someone wants a length that is not on the menu?
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