To split a text string at a certain character, you can use a combination of the LEFT, RIGHT, LEN, and FIND functions. Formula =LEFT(text,FIND(character,text)-1) Explanation In the example shown, the formula in C5 is: =LEFT(B5,FIND(“_”,B5)-1) And the formula in D5 is: =RIGHT(B5,LEN(B5)-FIND(“_”,B5)) How these formulas work The first formula uses the FIND function to locate …
If you want to get the workbook name only (i.e. the file name without path or sheet name) you can do so with a rather long formula that uses the MID function along with the FIND function. Formula =MID(CELL(“filename”,A1),FIND(“[“,CELL (“filename”,A1))+1,FIND(“]”,CELL(“filename”,A1)) -FIND(“[“,CELL(“filename”,A1))-1) Explanation How the formula works The cell function is used to get the full …
If you want to get the current workbook’s full name and path without a sheet name, you can use a formula that employs several text functions to strip off the sheet name. The final result will be a text string that looks like this: path[workbook.xlsm] Formula =SUBSTITUTE( LEFT(CELL(“filename”,A1),FIND(“]”,CELL(“filename”,A1))-1),”[“,””) Explanation How the formula works The CELL …
If you want to get the sheet name only (i.e. the sheet name without the file name or path) you can do so with rather long formula that uses the MID function along with the FIND function. The final result will look something like this: Sheet1 Formula =MID(CELL(“filename”,A1),FIND(“]”, CELL(“filename”,A1))+1,255) Explanation How the formula works The …
To remove the protocol (i.e. http://, ftp://, etc.) and trailing slash from a URL, you can use a formula based on the MID, FIND, and LEN functions. Formula =MID(url,FIND(“//”,url)+2,LEN(url)-FIND(“//”,url)-1-(RIGHT(url)=”/”)) Explanation In the example shown, the formula in C5 is: =MID(B4,FIND(“//”,B4)+2,LEN(B4)-FIND(“//”,B4)-1-(RIGHT(B4)=”/”)) How this formula works The core of this formula is the MID function, which extracts …
To extract the top level domain (called “TLD”) from a list of domain names or email addresses, you can use a rather complex formula that uses several functions. In the formula below, domain represents a domain or email address in normal “dot” syntax. Formula =RIGHT(domain,LEN(domain)-FIND(“*”,SUBSTITUTE(domain,”.”,”*”, LEN(domain)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(domain,”.”,””))))) Explanation In the example, the active cell contains this formula: …
If want to extract the name part of an email address, you can do so with a formula that uses the LEFT and FIND functions. In the formula below, email represents the email address you are working with. Formula =LEFT(email,FIND(“@”,email)-1) Explanation In the example, we are using this formula: =LEFT(C4,FIND(“@”,C4)-1) Here’s how the formula works: …
If you want to extract the domain name from a complete URL, you can do so with a formula that uses the LEFT and FIND functions. See example: In the formula below, url is the the URL you are working with. Formula =LEFT(url,FIND(“/”,url,9)) Explanation In the example, we are using this formula: =LEFT(B4,FIND(“/”,B4,9)) Here’s how …
If you want to get the workbook path (directory) only, you can do so with a formula that uses the LEFT and the FIND function. The result will look something like this: Drive:\path\to\file\ //Windows Drive:path:to:file: //Mac Formula =LEFT(CELL(“filename”,A1),FIND(“[“,CELL(“filename”,A1))-1) Explanation How the formula works The cell function is used to get the full file name and …
To test if a cell (or any text string) contains a number, you can use the FIND function together with the COUNT function. In the generic form of the formula (above), A1 represents the cell you are testing. The numbers to be checked (numbers between 0-9) are supplied as an array. Formula =COUNT(FIND({0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9},A1))>0 Explanation In …
To separate text and numbers, you can use a formula based on the FIND function, the MIN function, and the LEN function with the LEFT or RIGHT function, depending on whether you want to extract the text or the number. Formula =MIN(FIND({0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9},A1&”0123456789″)) Explanation In the example shown, the formula in C5 is: =MIN(FIND({0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9},B5&”0123456789″)) which returns …
If you have worksheet that contains text dimensions (i.e. “50 ft x 200 ft” etc.) you can split the into two parts with formulas that use several text functions. Explanation Background A common annoyance with data is that it may be represented as text instead of numbers. This is especially common with dimensions, which may …
Reject data containing punctuation mark To use data validation to restrict punctuation, you can use a named range and a formula based on the FIND and COUNT functions. Formula =COUNT(FIND(xlist,A1))=0 Explanation In the example shown, the data validation applied to C5:C10 is: =COUNT(FIND(xlist,B5))=0 where xlist is the named range D5:D11. How this formula works Data validation rules …
How to set criteria in Excel to accept specific text. To allow only values that contain a specific text string, you can use data validation with a custom formula based on the FIND and ISNUMBER functions. Formula =ISNUMBER(FIND(“txt”,A1)) Explanation In the example shown, the data validation applied to C5:C9 is: =ISNUMBER(FIND(“XST”,C5)) Note: Data validation rules …
This tutorial shows how to Highlight rows that contain in Excel using the example below; Formula =SEARCH(text,cocatenated_columns) Explanation If you want to highlight rows in a table that contain specific text, you use conditional formatting with a formula that returns TRUE when the the text is found. The trick is to concatenate (glue together) the …
This tutorial shows how to Highlight cells that contain one of many in Excel using the example below; Formula =SUMPRODUCT(–ISNUMBER(SEARCH(things,A1)))>0 Explanation To highlight cells that contain one of many text strings, you can use a formula based on the functions ISNUMBER and SEARCH, together with the SUMPRODUCT function. In the example shown, the conditional formatting applied …
This tutorial shows how to Highlight cells that contain in Excel using the example below; Formula =ISNUMBER(SEARCH(substring,A1)) Explanation Note: Excel contains many built-in “presets” for highlighting values with conditional formatting, including a preset to highlight cells that contain specific text. However, if you want more flexibility, you can use your own formula, as explained in this …
This tutorial shows how to Highlight cells that begin with in Excel using the example below; Formula =SEARCH(“substring”,A1)=1 Explanation Note: Excel contains many built-in “presets” for highlighting values with conditional formatting, including a preset to highlight cells that begin with specific text. However, if you want more flexibility, you can use your own formula, as …
The FIND function and the SEARCH function are very similar to each other. This example shows the difference. 1. To find the position of a substring in a string, use the FIND function. FIND is case-sensitive. 2. To find the position of a substring in a string, use the SEARCH function. SEARCH is case-insensitive. Note: string “excel” found at …
This tutorial shows how to Count cells that contain specific text in Excel using the example below; Formula =COUNTIF(range,”*text*”) Explanation To count the number of cells that contain certain text, you can use the COUNTIF function. In the example above “*” is a wildcard matching any number of characters. In the example, the active cell contains this formula: =COUNTIF(B4:B11,”*a*”) …
This tutorial shows how to Count cells that contain either x or y in Excel using the example below; Formula =SUMPRODUCT(–((ISNUMBER(FIND(“abc”,range)) + ISNUMBER(FIND(“def”,range)))>0)) Explanation To count cells that contain either one value or another, you an either use a helper column then tally up the count, or a more complex single cell formula. Background When …
This example teaches you how to separate strings in Excel. Asides from using ‘Convert Text to Columns Wizard’ in data tab, you can as well follow the steps below to Separate Text Strings in Excel . The problem we are dealing with is that we need to tell Excel where we want to separate the string. In case of …
What are FIND, FINDB functions in Excel? FIND and FINDB are Text functions in Microsoft Excel that locate one text string within a second text string, and return the number of the starting position of the first text string from the first character of the second text string. Important: FIND is intended for use with languages that use …
This tutorial shows how to create 1st and 2nd level outline formatting using excel formulas. To generate basic outline numbering you can use COUNTA, MID, FIND, IF, and LEN functions. Note: The formula used will only handle a 2-level outline. Explanation In the example shown, the formula in D5 is: =COUNTA($B$5:B5)&”.”&IF(B5<>””,1, MID(D4,FIND(“.”,D4)+1,LEN(D4))+1) How this formula works At …
To convert a measurement in feet and inches to inches only (i.e. 4’5″ to 53) you can use a formula based on several functions, including LEFT, FIND, MID, and SUBSTITUTE. See illustration below: Formula =LEFT(B5,FIND(“‘”,B5)-1)*12+SUBSTITUTE (MID(B5,FIND(“‘”,B5)+1,LEN(B5)),””””,””) Explanation In the example shown, the formula in D5 is: =LEFT(B5,FIND(“‘”,B5)-1)*12+SUBSTITUTE (MID(B5,FIND(“‘”,B5)+1,LEN(B5)),””””,””) How this formula works In the first …
To split dimensions that like 100x50x25 into three separate parts, you can use some rather complicated formulas that use LEFT, MID, RIGHT, FIND, LEN, and SUBSTITUTE. Note: you can also use Flash Fill in Excel 2013 and above, and the “text to columns” feature in older versions of Excel. Both approaches are quite a bit …
To remove text from a cell when the text is at a variable position, you can use a formula based on the REPLACE function, with help from the FIND function. Formula =REPLACE(text,start,FIND(marker,text)+1,””) Explanation In the example shown, the formula in C6 is: =REPLACE(B6,1,FIND(“:”,B6)+1,””) How this formula works The REPLACE function will replace text by position. …
To get the position of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc. instance of a specific character inside a text string, you can use the FIND and SUBSTITUTE functions. Note: we use “~” in this case only because it rarely occurs in other text. You can use any character that you know won’t appear in the text. …
To remove a file extension from a file name, you can use a formula based on the LEFT and FIND functions. Formula =LEFT(filename,FIND(“.”,filename)-1) Note: because this formula finds the first occurrence of “.”, it will remove all file extensions when there are are more than one. Explanation In the example shown, the formula in C5 …
To find the nth occurrence of a character in a text string, you can use a formula based on the FIND and SUBSTITUTE functions. Formula =FIND(CHAR(160),SUBSTITUTE (text,”@”,CHAR(160),N)) Explanation In the example shown, the formula in D5 is: =FIND(CHAR(160),SUBSTITUTE (B5,”@”,CHAR(160),C5)) How this formula works In this example we are looking for the nth occurrence of the …
If you need to extract the first word from some text you can use a formula that uses the FIND and LEFT functions. Formula =LEFT(a1,FIND(” “,a1)-1) Explanation From the example, the formula looks like this: =LEFT(B4,FIND(” “,B4)-1) How this formula works FIND returns the position (as a number) of the first occurrence of a space character in …
To extract words that begin with a specific character, you can use a formula based on six functions: TRIM, LEFT, SUBSTITUTE, MID, LEN, and REPT. This approach is useful if you need to extract things like a Twitter user name from a cell that contains other text. Formula =TRIM(LEFT(SUBSTITUTE(MID(text,FIND(“@”, txt),LEN(text)),” “,REPT(” “,100)),100)) Note: 100 represents the longest …
To extract a word that contains specific text,you can use a formula based on several functions, including TRIM, LEFT, SUBSTITUTE, MID, MAX, and REPT. You can use this formula to extract things like email addresses, or other substrings with a unique id. Formula =TRIM(MID(SUBSTITUTE(A1,” “,REPT(” “,99)), MAX(1,FIND(“@”,SUBSTITUTE (A1,” “,REPT(” “,99)))-50),99)) Explanation In the example shown, …
To extract a substring with an Excel formula, you can use the MID function. Note: In this example, we are calculating the end position in order to extract a substring with a literal start and end position. However, if you know the number of characters to extract, you can just plug in that number directly. Formula …
If you need extract the last name from a full name in LAST, FIRST format, you can do so with a formula that uses the LEFT and FIND functions. The formula works with names in this format, where a comma and space separate the last name from the first name. Note: this formula will only …
If you need extract the last name from a full name, you can do so with this rather complex formula that uses several functions. Note: In the formula below, name is a full name, with a space separating the first name from other parts of the name. Formula =RIGHT(name,LEN(name)-FIND(“*”,SUBSTITUTE(name,” “,”*”, LEN(name)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(name,” “,””))))) Important! Handling inconsistent …
To extract the first name from a full name in “Last, First” format, you can use a formula that uses RIGHT, LEN and FIND functions. Note: this formula will only work with names in Last, First format, separated with a comma and space. Formula =RIGHT(name,LEN(name)-FIND(“, “,name)-1) Explanation From the table and formula (above), name represent full …
If you need extract the first name from a full name, you can easily do so with the FIND and LEFT functions. In the formula below, name is a full name, with a space separating the first name from other parts of the name. Note: this formula does not account for titles (Ms., Mr., etc) …
To extract the last two words from a cell, you can use a formula built with several Excel functions, including MID, FIND, SUBSTITUTE, and LEN. Formula =MID(A1,FIND(“@”,SUBSTITUTE(A1,” “,”@”,LEN(A1)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(A1,” “,””))-1))+1,100) Explanation In the example shown, the formula in C5 is: =MID(B5,FIND(“@”,SUBSTITUTE(B5,” “,”@”,LEN(B5)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(B5,” “,””))-1))+1,100) How this formula works At the core, this formula uses the MID function to …