Linda
You can use VBA (programming) to search for individual words, like Marx
and Carol. This obviously isn't foolproof but may narrow the overall task.
Post back if you want to pursue this method, and provide some detail about
what you wan to happen when a match is found, etc. HTH Otto
"Linda" wrote in message
...
Here is my problem: I need to compare data from one database that I keep,
against a database from a state agency. There is no one field that may be
exactly the same in either database, although there may be some
similarities,
such as Vendor name in DB 1 is Marx, Carol and in DB 2 it is Marx Estate.

There are at least 10 fields that I need to analyze. I am using Excel to
compare the data, as most of the State's data is not in Access, but can be
converted to Excel.

Previously, I used a temp to compare records by hand, which is long and
tedious. I no longer have the temp, so I have to find a way to do this
electronically.

Am I just spinning my wheels?