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I have two columns containing text strings. When I use B2 text string to search column A, I can find multiple matching cells. What I need is a formula in C2 that will return the cell in B:B that matches A:2. Thanks!
I have two columns containing text strings. When I use B2 text string to search column A, I can find multiple matching cells. What I need is a formula in C2 that will return the cell in B:B that matches A:2. Thanks!
Didn't get it... could you please post your Workbook?
Not sure how, but I have more information that I should have posted that might help.
Every cell in column B is unique. As an example, B2 contains four words. Somewhere in column A, there is a cell or multiple cells that contain all four of those words. The words might be in a different order as well.
I need a formula in C2 that will *display the cell in column B that matches A:2
Last edited by portokie; 01-06-2016 at 02:01 PM. Reason: grammar
Like that?
Without the Workbook is hard to see what you really need
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That didn't work. I don't really have the data, I'll do my best to recreate here:
A2="text word1 word2 text"
A3="text word5 word3 text"
B2="word3 word5"
B3="word1 word2"
if you notice, A2 matches B3 and A3 matches B2 (even though the phrase is not correct, the words still match).
I am essentially taking the words from B2 and searching column A with them.
C2=need formula to display B3
C3=need formula to display B2
Last edited by portokie; 01-06-2016 at 02:31 PM. Reason: fixed error
For real... it is very hard to understand
Post a sample workbook my friend
As I said, I don't have the data and I don't know how/don't want to upload one of our office files (don't know what metadata might be included, and they aren't mine to share). This example is the best I can do. I truly appreciate your effort, but I don't know how to make what I'm asking any clearer, sorry.
column A column B column C text word1 word2 text word3 word5 formula to display the cell from column B that matches A2 (B3) text word5 word3 text word1 word2 formula to display the cell from column B that matches A3 (B2)
Last edited by portokie; 01-06-2016 at 02:49 PM. Reason: fixed table
So if a cell from column B matches A2 (in this case B3), then display B3 in C2.
If a cell from column B matches A3 (in this case B2, even though the words are in a different order, they still match), then display B2 in C3.
Got it... but trying to figure out how to solve it
Give me time
Hello again
Try this on C2 (and bellow)
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Wow! That worked! But instead of displaying "B3 matches with A2", is there a way to just display the contents of B3 in C2?
Amazing job though! Thank you so much for your patience and for helping me with this!
Oh ok!
Use this one then:
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By the way, if it solves your problem, please mark the thread as [SOLVED] and add reputation
Oh wait, it didn't work actually. Sorry, I tried it on the data I was working on and it seemed to work, but when I tried it on my example sheet above, C2 returned an error, while C3 returned the correct result. The problem is I need to search column A using the 'individual words' in B2, not the exact cell contents. For example, if you copy/paste the contents of B2 into the google search bar, it will return results containing both keywords without paying attention to the order the words are in.
Oh well... thats a huge "but"
Thought you was going to search the words in the right order
Like, if in Column A the words are "AAAA BB CCCC DDDDD", the searching words would be "BB CCCC", not "CCCC BB"
Back to clipboard...
Btw: The max words to search for are 2? Are you going to search for more than 2 in same cel?
Your last post worked as intended, but still can't search individual words from column B cells. I will definitely mark as solved and add to your rep though. Thanks again!
There is no limit on the amount of words in B cels, but a conservative word limit might be 25, and that would still match a cel in column A. But you are definitely understanding now. To expound on your thoughts:
If in Column A the words are "AAAA BB CCCC DDDDD", the searching words in B cel MIGHT be "BB CCCC" OR "CCCC BB" or even "DDDDD BB AAAA".
Last edited by portokie; 01-06-2016 at 05:08 PM. Reason: grammar
Still haven't found a way to do this...
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