LEFT() for each rows in a single cell?

[jeffcoleky]

The following data is in a SINGLE cell. I'm trying to get the phone number from each line and output it as just a list of phone numbers in a single cell.

FROM THIS:

[TABLE="width: 357"]
<tbody>[TR]
[TD](734) 435-8519 < Sent TXT 14/25/09 @ 08:54
(734) 917-1416 < Sent TXT 14/25/09 @ 08:54
(734) 742-6437 < Sent TXT 14/25/09 @ 08:54
(734) 435-8511 < Sent TXT 14/25/09 @ 08:54-Bob's number
(734) 360-5106 < Sent TXT 14/25/09 @ 08:54
(734) 880-3306 < Sent TXT 14/25/09 @ 08:54
(734) 384-0869 < Sent TXT 14/25/09 @ 08:54-Not working
(734) 494-5151 < Sent TXT 14/25/09 @ 08:54
(435) 851-8519 < Sent TXT 14/25/09 @ 08:54-Yelled at me
(734) 408-2349 < Sent TXT 14/25/09 @ 08:54
(734) 224-7269 < Sent TXT 14/25/09 @ 08:54
(734) 299-4730 < Sent TXT 14/25/09 @ 09:02
(734) 299-4703 < Sent TXT 14/25/09 @ 09:02-Not working#
(734) 291-9930 < Sent TXT 14/25/09 @ 09:02
(734) 345-8002 < Sent TXT 14/25/09 @ 09:02[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]

TO THIS:

[TABLE="width: 357"]
<tbody>[TR]
[TD="class: xl65, width: 357"](734)  435-8519
(734) 917-1416
(734) 742-6437
(734) 435-8511
(734) 360-5106
(734) 880-3306
(734) 384-0869
(734) 494-5151
(435) 851-8519
(734) 408-2349
(734) 224-7269
(734) 299-4730
(734) 299-4703
(734) 291-9930
(734) 345-8002[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl65, width: 357"][/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]

I'm not sure how to use LEFT() for this type of situation. The text located to the right of the numbers could be ANYTHING. But the phone number format is always the same.

Any ideas?

 

[DanteAmor]

So no easy formula method in excel either? If not, thanks everyone for making it work this way! it saves me hours.

This may be an option to extract a phone in a cell with a formula.
Copy the formula to the right to extract one phone at a time.

<table border="1" cellspacing="0" style="font-family:Calibri,Arial; font-size:11pt; background-color:#ffffff; "> <colgroup><col style="font-weight:bold; width:30px; " /><col style="width:608.32px;" /><col style="width:146.38px;" /><col style="width:154.93px;" /><col style="width:160.63px;" /><col style="width:166.34px;" /><col style="width:151.13px;" /></colgroup><tr style="background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; font-weight:bold; font-size:8pt; "><td > </td><td >A</td><td >B</td><td >C</td><td >D</td><td >E</td><td >F</td></tr><tr style="height:93px ;" ><td style="font-size:8pt; background-color:#cacaca; text-align:center; " >2</td><td >(734) 435-8519 < Sent TXT 14/25/09 @ 08:54<br />(734) 917-1416 < Sent TXT 14/25/09 @ 08:55<br />(734) 742-6437 < Sent TXT 14/25/09 @ 08:56<br />(734) 435-8511 < Sent TXT 14/25/09 @ 08:57-Bob's number<br />(734) 360-5106 < Sent TXT 14/25/09 @ 08:58</td><td >(734) 435-8519</td><td >(734) 917-1416</td><td >(734) 742-6437</td><td >(734) 435-8511</td><td >(734) 360-5106</td></tr></table><br /><table style="font-family:Arial; font-size:10pt; border-style: groove ;border-color:#00ff00;background-color:#fffcf9; color:#000000; "><tr><td ><b></b></td></tr><tr><td ><table border = "1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" style="font-family:Arial; font-size:9pt;"><tr style="background-color:#cacaca; font-size:10pt;"><td >Cell</td><td >Formula</td></tr><tr><td >B2</td><td >=TRIM(MID(SUBSTITUTE(SUBSTITUTE(" " & $A2," < ",REPT(" ",250)),"(",REPT(" ",250)&"("),(250*((COLUMNS($B$1:B1)*2)-1)),250))</td></tr></table></td></tr></table>

 

[jeffcoleky]

Hi
What about

B1=LEFT(A1,LEN(A1)-LEN(RIGHT(A1,LEN(MID(A1,FIND("<",A1),255))))-1)

Although, we could use a 2-step process. If there was a way to turn the original data into individual rows first, then use the formula and back into a single cell? (two formulas using two Columns of cells, not using text to columns)

 

[Norie]

In Google sheets this works.

=REGEXREPLACE(A1&CHAR(10),"<.*\n",CHAR(10))

 

[jeffcoleky]

In Google sheets this works.

=REGEXREPLACE(A1&CHAR(10),"<.*\n",CHAR(10))

Woohoo! that works. thanks everyone.

 

[Peter_SSs]

If you did want to stick with Excel, there is a manual process you could follow. It takes a bit for me to write out but is a fairly quick process to do.

1. Copy the date to a new column
2. Select the column by clicking its heading label
3. Invoke Find/Replace (Ctrl+H is one way)
4. In the Find what: box type a space followed by a < sign followed by an * then press Ctrl+J (you won't see the Ctrl+J but that is for the line-feed character)
5. Put your cursor in the Replace with: box and do another Ctrl+J
6. In Options>> make sure 'Match entire cell contents' is not checked
7. Replace All then OK
8. With the column still selected and the Find/Replace still open put your cursor immediately after the * and press Delete (to remove the invisible line-feed character)
9. Put your cursor in the Replace with: box and press delete again to remove that line-feed character
10. Replace All, OK

 

[Peter_SSs]

Also possible with worksheet functions in Excel if you have the TEXTJOIN function in your version.
Here I have assumed that all your phone numbers are in identical format (since that is what your sample was) but if not and you wanted to pursue the Excel option, it could be adapted for varying formats.
This is an array formula so should be entered without the {} but confirmed with Ctrl+Shift+Enter, not just Enter. If confirmed correctly, Excel will insert the {}. The formula can then be copied down.

Excel Workbook
	A	B
1	(734) 435-8519	(734) 435-8519(734) 917-1416(734) 742-6437(734) 435-8511(734) 360-5106(734) 880-3306(734) 384-0869(734) 494-5151(435) 851-8519(734) 408-2349(734) 224-7269(734) 299-4730(734) 299-4703(734) 291-9930(734) 345-8002
Phone Numbers

 

[jeffcoleky]

Thank you as well!

If you did want to stick with Excel, there is a manual process you could follow. It takes a bit for me to write out but is a fairly quick process to do.

1. Copy the date to a new column
2. Select the column by clicking its heading label
3. Invoke Find/Replace (Ctrl+H is one way)
4. In the Find what: box type a space followed by a < sign followed by an * then press Ctrl+J (you won't see the Ctrl+J but that is for the line-feed character)
5. Put your cursor in the Replace with: box and do another Ctrl+J
6. In Options>> make sure 'Match entire cell contents' is not checked
7. Replace All then OK
8. With the column still selected and the Find/Replace still open put your cursor immediately after the * and press Delete (to remove the invisible line-feed character)
9. Put your cursor in the Replace with: box and press delete again to remove that line-feed character
10. Replace All, OK

 

[Peter_SSs]

Thank you as well!

You're welcome.

 

[Giordano Bruno]

I don't know if this helps you, but if you have the "CONCAT" function (Office 365 of Excel 2019), you could put the initial data in alternate rows starting at A1 and then use a helper column in B1 "=IF(ISBLANK(A1),"=char(10)",LEFT(A1,14))", copied down. Then use the formula "=CONCAT(B1:B31)" and format the cell to wrap.

 

[Peter_SSs]

... if you have the "CONCAT" function ... you could put the initial data in alternate rows starting at A1 and then use a helper column

If the CONCAT function is available, then so is TEXTJOIN and the result can be obtained without any rearrangement of the original data or helper cells as per post 16.