replace characters and compare results in a formula

[inolab]

I know this is going to be an easy answer and I am almost there (I hope), but I need help because I can't get the correct result.

I have 2 columns of names and one column has 7 characters that need to be replaced and then the result of the first 3 characters compared to the other column to see if they are the same and if not - they need to be researched. Here is what I have so far and individually the formulas work - together not so much. Thanks in advance for your help.

[[TABLE="width: 1066"]
<tbody>[TR]
[TD]FINANCIAL NAME
[/TD]
[TD]LOG NAME
[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]osu-aj HER NAME IS
[/TD]
[TD]YOUR NAME IS
[/TD]
[TD]=IF(A2="","","BLAH")
[/TD]
[TD]THIS LEAVES C BLANK IF CELL IN COLUMN A IS BLANK OTHERWISE "BLAH"
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]ALL NAMES ARE
[/TD]
[TD]=REPLACE(A2,1,7,"")
[/TD]
[TD]THIS REPLACED 7 CHARACTERS IN FRONT OF THE NAME IN COLUMN A
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]=IF(A3="","",REPLACE(A3,1,7,""))
[/TD]
[TD]THIS LEAVES C BLANK IF A IS BLANK AND REPLACES FIRST 7 CHARACTERS OF NAME IF NOT BLANK
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]=IF(ISTEXT(SEARCH(LEFT(A2,3),(LEFT(A2,3)),1)),"","RESEARCH")
[/TD]
[TD]IF FIRST 3 CHARACTERS DON’T MATCH IN COLUMN A AND B, RESULT IS TO RESEARCH ]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]

 

[dreid1011]

This is awesome. I think I just found a similar formula, but this is great help too

Glad you got it figured out.