Comments on: How to split text string in Excel by comma, space, character or mask

Splitting text from one cell into several cells is the task all Excel users are dealing with once in a while. Today, we are going to take an in-depth look at how you can break strings into different elements using formulas and the Split Text feature. Continue reading →

Comments page 3. Total comments: 204

  1. Hi,
    i have values in one column as below.
    ABC (1), IJK (20), LMN (15), XYZ (5)
    LMN (10), XYZ (25), ABC (15), IJK (3)
    XYZ (25), ABC (225)

    i want create new column and extract value for ABC as below
    1
    15
    225

    I tried using MID function as explained, but i get value as below.
    =MID(A2, SEARCH("ABC",A2) + 5, 3)

    1)
    15)
    225

    Can you pls help?

    1. Had to use the FIND command to get the last bracket and subtract positions.
      This should work for you.
      =MID(A1,FIND("ABC",A1)+5,(FIND(")",A1,FIND("ABC",A1)+5))-(FIND("ABC",A1)+5))

      Locates the ABC starting character and adds 5 to get to the number
      Then second part finds the first ) after the number
      Then it subtracts the position of the ) to get the number for the mid statement
      Use VALUE to convert this output value to a number if you want to perform sums on it

  2. How could I split

    L18000160290MASS LLC

    into
    L18000160290 MASS LLC

    Basically I want to take the first 12 characters into a separate cell

    1. Keven:
      I think this should work.
      Where L18000160290MASSLLC is in A1
      =LEFT(A1,12)

  3. Hi,
    I have figures in a line beak
    59/220118
    64/080318
    64/100418
    128/100518
    192/110617
    In another column I need to add up the numbers before "/". Do you have a formula for that please?
    Thanks in advance.

    1. Try using this. If your value is in H3...
      =VALUE(LEFT(H3,FIND("/",H3)-1))

    2. Naveen:
      I think the easiest thing to do in a situation like yours is to use the Text-to-Columns tool that is built in to Excel.
      Click the Data tab on your ribbon, then choose Text-to-Columns, then click the Delimited button, then choose the Other option and enter a / in that field. You should then see how your data will be separated into two columns. Click Next and the data will be split into two columns beginning with the column the data was originally in. If you want the split data to be put into a different cell then enter that address in the Destination field in the third step. You can also choose not to import the data after the / . In this last step select the column heading that holds the data you don't need and choose the Do Not Import Column.
      Click finish and you have your data in its own column ready to sum.

  4. Hi
    How to split number of live sheet into individual no and add them
    Ex: 254.56 into 25456
    Add:2+5+4+5+6
    I split no but unable add them

    1. Umesh:
      In an empty cell enter =Sum(Range Holding Values)
      For example if the numbers are in cells B2,C2,D2,E2 and F2 then =SUM(B2:F2)
      Be sure to format the cells B2:F2 as number.

  5. Hi can you please help me split 4017.524120.9822..0000.0000.3137 as
    4017
    524120
    9822
    0000
    0000
    3137

    1. Soni:
      You can select the cell with the data and then use the Text-to-Columns tool under Data. Use "." as the delimiter and once the data is in separate cells you can copy the cells and paste into a blank cell using the Paste Special/Transpose option.
      If you do a lot of this work The AbleBits Ultimate Suite is probably a better option. It has many tool to help work with data. Splitting your type of data into rows is one of the tools.

  6. In order to split string by dash I wouldn't bother to construct different formulas for each part.
    I would, rather, use one single (similar) formula for all columns
    For example:
    Type the following formula into cell B2 and copy-drag it to the right.
    =TRIM(MID(SUBSTITUTE("-"&$A2&" ","-",REPT(" ",255)),(COLUMN()-1)*255,255))
    ----------------------------
    Michael (Micky) Avidan
    “Microsoft® Answers" - Wiki author & Forums Moderator
    “Microsoft®” Excel MVP – Excel (2009-2018)
    ISRAEL

    1. This did the trick for the task I was working on. May I ask what the elements of the formula mean?

    2. Thank You!!

  7. Hi Svetlana,

    I have a worksheet containing a single column as follows:

    1 F01K2502F01L1504A23K1165

    2 C09J12518B23K524C07C30988C07C31724C07C31734

    I would like to split this single column into multiple columns, like:

    1 F01K2502 | F01L1504 | A23K1165 (3 columns)

    2 C09J12518 | B23K524C07 | C30988C07 | C31724C07 | C31734 (5 columns)

    Any advice?

    Thanks a lot beforehand.

    1. Hello,

      I'm afraid there's no easy way to solve your task with a formula. Using a VBA macro would be the best option here.

      However, since we do not cover the programming area (VBA-related questions), I can advice you to try and look for the solution in VBA sections on mrexcel.com or excelforum.com.

      Sorry I can't assist you better.

  8. Hi Svetlana,

    Thanks for your help on this. I hope you are still supporting this post.

    The left, mid & right functions only work for 3 columns of data within the source cell. My data has 6 columns with 5 delimiters (",").

    If I use LEFT it returns the "first column's data",
    If I use MID, it returns the "second column's data",
    If I use RIGHT, it returns everything to the right in column "3", which is actually Column 3, 4, 5 & 6.

    Is there any way to "count" the delimiters, then return the data before/after the specified Xth delimiter? In other words, similar to VLOOKUP where the formula uses "col_index_num" to specify which data is wanted.

    Unfortunately, the data I am trying to extract to place in 2 different cells is in the second & fourth columns.

    I have isolated below between *** ***

    12/15/2017 16:10,***DYSINGER EAST***,23326,***2163.11***,3150,-9999

    This is realtime data from .csv url through Data --> Refresh All, so using the Text to Columns feature or add-ins is not possible. Also I am using MS Excel for Mac, and so far cannot get Excel to recognize the "," in the text string as the delimiters to separate the string automatically into proper columns.

    Thanks for any help on this!

    1. Hello,
      Please try using a VBA macro. We are always ready to help you, but we do not cover the programming area (VBA-related questions).
      You may try to find the solution in VBA sections on mrexcel.com or excelforum.com.
      Sorry we can’t assist you better.

  9. Pls see if you can split the following, in Excel-2010 ...

    1 apple. 2 orange. 3 pear. 4 banana
    [this is all in a single cell]

    into ...

    column A column B
    1 apple
    2 orange
    3 pear
    4 banana

    Thank you.

    1. Hello,

      I'm afraid there's no easy way to solve your task with a formula. Using a VBA macro would be the best option here.

      However, since we do not cover the programming area (VBA-related questions), I can advice you to try and look for the solution in VBA sections on mrexcel.com or excelforum.com.

      Sorry I can't assist you better.

  10. how to split numbers as mentioned below?
    999999999.99 to 99 99 99 999.99;
    99999999.99 to 9 99 99 999.99;
    9999999.99 to 99 99 999.99;
    999999.99 to 9 99 999.99.
    and so on.

    Thanks in Advance.

    1. Hello,

      If I understand your task correctly, please try the following formula:

      =SUBSTITUTE(TEXT(A1,"#,##0.00"),","," ")

      Hope this will work for you

  11. 08121804902
    hi there,
    081317003321
    081315004023
    08121002069
    08121803616
    08121001992
    081316000612
    081316002389
    08129000777
    08121002877
    can i ask help how to split between 12 digits & 11 digits different rows?

    1. Use LEN to return the length and test on that.
      =If(len(a1)>11,a1,"")

  12. Hello Svetlana,

    I need your help on this.
    Is there a way that I can split a string of text in a cell from

    "This is 2nd enquiry from this client. The 1st time wasSep-329 in Union TalkHusband's name: ChanWaiCheongTel:9*****"

    into

    "This is 2nd enquiry from this client. The 1st time wasSep-329 in Union Talk Husband's name: Chan Wai Cheong Tel:9*****"

    I have 44500 records having this problem. I tried doing a VBA code, to add space whenever there is a CAPs letter but it wont work for some records as the outcome will be: "paid via VISA" into "paid via V I S A"

    Please do help. Thank you.

    1. I have managed to solve this with a VBA Code.

      Function SplitCaps(strIn As String) As String
      Dim objRegex As Object
      Set objRegex = CreateObject("vbscript.regexp")
      With objRegex
      .Global = True
      .Pattern = "([a-z])([A-Z])"
      SplitCaps = .Replace(strIn, "$1 $2")
      End With
      End Function

      If any of you have another alternative please do share.

      Thanks

  13. Hi

    I want to split the below into columns
    90FB5B8F6B40
    001BBA9AB00
    001BBA99FE00

    I want my end result to be
    90:FB:5B:8F:6B:40
    00:1B:BA:A9:AB:00
    00:1B:BA:99:FE:00

    I thought if i can split the text to single columns and concatenate to join them back inserting the ":" that would help. So i needed to know how to separate the text string into columns. Is that possible?

    1. Based on your data being in A1, and always being the same length and expected return

      =LEFT(A1,2)&":"&MID(A1,3,2)&":"&MID(A1,5,2)&":"&MID(A1,7,2)&":"&MID(A1,9,2)&":"&MID(A1,11,2)

      if want them to be in separate column start with LEFT(A1,2)
      and then for every subsequent col copy the MID(A1,3,2) parts

  14. Hello Svetlana Cheusheva,

    Can you help me to extract "Fort Walton Beach", "Jacksonville Beach","Wethersfield",etc.
    These are examples:
    545 Ashley Court, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32547
    713 Arch Street, Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250
    341 Cardinal Drive, Wethersfield, CT 06109
    134 Main Street East, Anchorage, AK 99504
    211 Oak Lane, West Lafayette, IN 47906
    458 Williams Street, El Dorado, AR 71730
    913 Liberty Street, Saint Paul, MN 55104
    860 Somerset Drive, Acworth, GA 30101
    36 Briarwood Drive, Dekalb, IL 60115

    Thank you so much.

    Tien

    1. =MID(A10,FIND(",",A10)+2,(FIND(",",A10,FIND(",",A10)+1)-(FIND(",",A10)+2)))
      looks for the commas and uses mid to select the text between them.
      Assumes text is in A10.

  15. I have a long column of number letter combinations I want to split at the first letter (any letter)

    eg. 43245tre becomes 43245 tre
    129ftr becomes 129 ftr

    Help?

    1. Hello Mark,

      Do you want to split numbers and letters in 2 separate columns, or separate them with a space within a cell?

  16. what if we want to split my string e.g. or and. How do you specify split only when or or and is byitself and not part of a word. The below keeps happening.

    dog or cat slit into rows dog
    cat
    orange and apple or
    ange
    apple

    1. Hi Lila,

      You can use the 'Split by string' option of our add-in. When entering the delimiter strings, just be sure to type a space before and after or to prevent splitting words.

      And thank you for this great question! I will certainly include this tip in the article.

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