5 Excel Formulas To Remove Text And Keep Numbers

When it comes to managing data in Excel, we often find ourselves dealing with mixed content – numbers and text jumbled together. If you've ever wanted to extract just the numbers from a string of text, you're not alone! Fortunately, there are various Excel formulas that can help you with this task effectively. In this blog post, we'll explore five powerful Excel formulas designed to remove text and retain only the numbers. Let’s dive right in! 🚀

Why You Might Need to Remove Text and Keep Numbers

Before we look into the formulas, let’s consider why you might need to do this. Perhaps you have a list of product codes that contain both letters and numbers, or you’re analyzing survey responses that include comments along with numeric ratings. By extracting numbers, you can perform calculations, create charts, and analyze data without distractions from irrelevant text.

The Essential Excel Formulas

Here are five Excel formulas that will allow you to extract numbers from a string effectively:

1. Using the SUMPRODUCT Function

This method is particularly handy when you're dealing with a string of numbers mixed with text. The SUMPRODUCT function will sum all the numeric values found in the string.

=SUMPRODUCT(--(MID(A1,ROW($1:$300),1)))

How It Works:

• ROW($1:$300) generates an array from 1 to 300, which corresponds to the potential length of the text in A1.
• MID(A1,ROW($1:$300),1) extracts each character one by one.
• The -- converts the extracted characters to numbers. Non-numeric characters become zeros.
• Finally, SUMPRODUCT sums them up.

2. Utilizing the TEXTJOIN Function (Excel 2016 and Later)

If you have the latest version of Excel, you can leverage the TEXTJOIN function alongside IF to keep only the numbers.

=TEXTJOIN("", TRUE, IF(ISNUMBER(--MID(A1, ROW($1:$300), 1)), MID(A1, ROW($1:$300), 1), ""))

How It Works:

• Similar to the first formula, it processes each character.
• ISNUMBER checks if the extracted character is numeric.
• TEXTJOIN concatenates the numbers into a single string without any delimiter.

3. Using FILTERXML and TEXTJOIN

Another nifty method uses FILTERXML, which is great for complex strings.

=TEXTJOIN("", TRUE, FILTERXML(""&SUBSTITUTE(A1,"","")&"", "//s[number(.)]"))

How It Works:

• The SUBSTITUTE function places each character into XML format.
• FILTERXML extracts only the nodes that are numeric.
• Finally, TEXTJOIN stitches the numbers together.

4. Employing the ARRAYFORMULA (for Google Sheets Users)

If you’re using Google Sheets, you can leverage an ARRAYFORMULA to easily extract numbers.

=ARRAYFORMULA(JOIN("", IFERROR(VALUE(MID(A1, ROW(INDIRECT("1:"&LEN(A1))), 1)), "")))

How It Works:

• INDIRECT generates a string of numbers that correspond to the length of the text.
• MID extracts each character.
• VALUE converts it into numbers, and IFERROR handles non-numeric values.

5. The Classic Method with Regular Expressions

For those who have access to Excel with regular expression support (using Power Query or VBA), you can use a regex function.

Function ExtractNumbers(txt As String) As String
    Dim RegEx As Object
    Set RegEx = CreateObject("VBScript.RegExp")
    RegEx.Global = True
    RegEx.Pattern = "\D"  ' Matches all non-digit characters
    ExtractNumbers = RegEx.Replace(txt, "")
End Function

How It Works:

• This VBA function utilizes regular expressions to find and replace all non-digit characters with nothing, thus retaining only numbers.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

When utilizing these formulas, be mindful of common pitfalls:

• Wrong Cell References: Double-check that you are referencing the correct cells. A small mistake can lead to inaccurate results.
• Not Adjusting Ranges: If your data varies in length, make sure to adjust the range in your formulas accordingly.
• Error Handling: Utilize error handling functions like IFERROR to prevent formula errors from displaying in your worksheet.

Troubleshooting Tips

• If you're not getting the expected results, check the text format. Sometimes, numbers might be formatted as text, which can complicate extraction.
• Always ensure that you have the required version of Excel to use certain functions (e.g., TEXTJOIN is available in Excel 2016 and later).
• If using VBA, ensure your macros are enabled.

<div class="faq-section"> <div class="faq-container"> <h2>Frequently Asked Questions</h2> <div class="faq-item"> <div class="faq-question"> <h3>Can I use these formulas in all versions of Excel?</h3> <span class="faq-toggle">+</span> </div> <div class="faq-answer"> <p>Some formulas, like TEXTJOIN, are only available in newer versions of Excel. Check your version to see what functions are supported.</p> </div> </div> <div class="faq-item"> <div class="faq-question"> <h3>What if my data has special characters?</h3> <span class="faq-toggle">+</span> </div> <div class="faq-answer"> <p>The formulas provided focus on numeric characters. Non-numeric characters will be ignored, so you should still get accurate number extractions.</p> </div> </div> <div class="faq-item"> <div class="faq-question"> <h3>Is there a quick way to format the result as numbers?</h3> <span class="faq-toggle">+</span> </div> <div class="faq-answer"> <p>Yes! Once you have extracted the numbers, you can use the VALUE function to convert the result into a number format.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div>

In summary, extracting numbers from a mix of text in Excel is simpler than it appears. With the right formulas, you can automate the process and focus on analyzing your data. Remember to practice these formulas, explore various data scenarios, and become more proficient in Excel. The more you use them, the easier they will become!

<p class="pro-note">🚀Pro Tip: Always back up your data before using complex formulas or functions to ensure no loss occurs during the extraction process.</p>