This post will guide you how to return a value if a cell contains a certain number or text string in Excel. How do I check if a Cell contains specific text and then return another specific text in another cell with a formula in Excel.
Table of Contents
1. Return Value If Cell Contains Certain Value Using a Formula
Assuming that you want to check if a given Cell such as B1 contains a text string “excel”, if True, returns another text string “learning excel” in Cell C1. How to achieve it. You can use a formula based on the IF function, the ISNUMBER function and the SEARCH function to achieve the result of return a value if Cell contains a specific value. Just like this:
=IF(ISNUMBER(SEARCH("excel",B1)),"learning excel","")
Type this formula into the formula box of cell C1, and then press Enter key in your keyboard.
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You will see that the text string “learning excel” will be returned in the Cell C1.
And if you want to check the range of cells B1:B4, you need to drag the AutoFill Handle down to other cells to apply this formula.
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2. Return Value If Cell Contains a Specific Text Using a User-Defined Function
Now, let’s dive into the second method, which involves creating a custom function using VBA. We’ll guide you through the step-by-step process of writing the VBA code, making it accessible even if you’re new to coding.
Step1: Press Alt + F11
to open the Visual Basic for Applications editor.
Step2: Right-click on any item in the Project Explorer, go to Insert
, and select Module
.
Step3: Copy and paste the following VBA code into the module:
Function CheckText(cellValue As Range, targetText As String) As String
If InStr(1, cellValue.Value, targetText, vbTextCompare) > 0 Then
CheckText = "learning excel"
Else
CheckText = ""
End If
End Function
Note: This code defines a function named CheckText that checks if a cell contains specific text.
Step4: Close the VBA editor.
Step5: Now, you can use your new function in Excel. In a cell, enter the formula:
=CheckText(B1, "excel")
Note: Replace “excel” with your target text and adjust the cell reference as needed.
Step6: After entering the formula, press Enter. The cell will display “learning excel” if the specified text is found; otherwise, it will be blank.
3. Video: Return Value If Cell Contains Certain Value
This tutorial video will show you how to return a value if a cell contains specific text in Excel. This is a common task in data processing, and we’re here to guide you through two effective methods to achieve this goal. Let’s explore both methods – one using a formula and the other with a User-Defined Function (UDF) in VBA.
4. Related Functions
- Excel SEARCH function
The Excel SEARCH function returns the number of the starting location of a substring in a text string.The syntax of the SEARCH function is as below:= SEARCH (find_text, within_text,[start_num])… - Excel ISNUMBER function
The Excel ISNUMBER function returns TRUE if the value in a cell is a numeric value, otherwise it will return FALSE.The syntax of the ISNUMBER function is as below:= ISNUMBER (value)… - Excel IF function
The Excel IF function perform a logical test to return one value if the condition is TRUE and return another value if the condition is FALSE.The syntax of the IF function is as below:= IF (condition, [true_value], [false_value])…
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