The formula
=IF(LEFT(A2,4)="Dill","contains Dillards","doesn't contain Dillards")
will catch all of the cases you mention.

"James" wrote:

Hi,

Lets say I have a column that has a list of customers, in this case,
Dillards. However, it is spelled different throughout the column.
For instance, Dillards, Dillards Store, Dillards Inc., Dillards DC,
Dillard Stores. If I insert a conditional statment that is = Dillards
it will not give me all of Dillards. Is there some kind of forumula
or operator that I can use that will search throughout the column for
"Dill", simply the first three letters of Dillards. Thanks.