---
schema_version: "1"
id: 207d42403386dd51b3d09112d8a3df4a7c43be020c64db7910effc7073dc0aab
title: "Handlebars Helper Function: lookup"
collection: developer
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/developer/current/en-us/marketing-cloud/handlebars/reference/objects/mcn-handlebars-reference-objects-lookup.md
canonical_url: https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/marketing/handlebars-for-marketing-cloud-next/references/mcn-handlebars-objects-references/mcn-handlebars-reference-objects-lookup.html
source_site: developer.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: a7554f3ab44cab837db68f89aecbc1b9567e4995b06302a8935497806f9630f4
products:
  - Handlebars for Marketing Cloud Next
  - Marketing Cloud
---
# Handlebars Helper Function: lookup

Dynamically access an object property or array element by specifying a variable. Unlike dot notation (`{{object.property}}`), which requires a literal property name, you can use `lookup` to determine the property name or array index at run time.

This function is based on the [Handlebars.js lookup helper](https://handlebarsjs.com/guide/builtin-helpers.html#lookup).

<!--
:::note
AMPScript includes a Lookup function that behaves differently from this one. The Handlebars Lookup helper can search for data within a local data object only. The AMPScript Lookup function searches for data from within a marketing object.
:::
-->

## Availability

This helper is available in the Summer ’26 release of Marketing Cloud Next.

## Syntax

```handlebars
{{lookup object key}}
```

## Parameters

| Parameter | Type              | Description                                             |
| --------- | ----------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- |
| `object`  | Object or Array   | Required. The object or array to look up a value from.  |
| `key`     | String or Integer | Required. The property name or array index to retrieve. |

## Return Value

The return value has the same data type as the retrieved property.

If the key doesn't exist or the index is out of bounds, the function returns `undefined`. An undefined property renders as an empty string.

## Usage Examples

This example looks up a property in an object.

```handlebars
{{lookup user "name"}}
```

The function returns the value of the `name` property in the `user` object.

### Dynamic Property Access

You can use a variable to determine which property to access. This example loops through the field names in the `data` object and performs a lookup on each one.

```handlebars
{{#each fields}}
  {{lookup ../data this}}
{{/each}}
```

### Array Index Lookup

You can use this function to return an array element by index. This example returns the first element in the `items` array (the first element in an array is `0`).

```handlebars
{{lookup items 0}}
```

### Using Loop Index

This example uses the loop index to access the previous item.

```handlebars
{{#each items}}
  Previous: {{lookup ../items (subtract @index 1)}}
  Current: {{this}}
{{/each}}
```

### Accessing Root Properties Dynamically

This example looks up a property name from the root context.

```handlebars
{{lookup @root propertyName}}
```

### Nested Lookup

You can chain multiple lookup operations together. This example looks up the value of `category` in the `data` object. In that result, it returns the value of the `itemName` property.

```handlebars
{{lookup (lookup data category) itemName}}
```

## See Also

- [Get](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/marketing/handlebars-for-marketing-cloud-next/references/mcn-handlebars-objects-references/mcn-handlebars-reference-objects-get.md)
- [Each](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/marketing/handlebars-for-marketing-cloud-next/references/mcn-handlebars-objects-references/mcn-handlebars-reference-objects-each.md)
- [With](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/marketing/handlebars-for-marketing-cloud-next/references/utility/mcn-handlebars-reference-utility-with.md)