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Default Search text string for ssn and copy to new column

Assuming there is nothing else, numeric or text, in the string with
that
format, you could use the formula:

=MID(A1,SEARCH("???-??-????",A1),11)

To prevent the #VALUE! error (with having to devise a complicated IF
test),
you modify your formula like this...

=MID(A1,SEARCH("???-??-????",A1&" - - "),11)

Thanks for the addition. I usually let the requestor decide what he
wants
if the substring is not present in the searched string.


Normally, I would agree with that approach; but, unless I am missing
something obvious (always a distinct possibility), any such test would be
somewhat longish and/or add a duplicate calling of the result formula, so
I
figured I would offer (mainly for the archives), the "give the function
something to find" method of getting around that situation.


One approach, which I tend to use myself, is to use conditional
formatting. I
can either "white-out" the result, or use formatting of interior and font
to
make the error really stand out. The cell formula stays the same.


That certainly is a nice, workable way to get out of carrying a longish
logical expression for an IF function to evaluate in every cell the formula
is copied to... and is especially usable for formulas whose constructions do
not lend themselves to the "give the function something to find" method. I
guess the only downside, if you want to call it that, is when modifying such
a formula in a cell, you have to remember to change the conditional formula
as well; but, if this is a procedure you tend to use a lot, I'm guessing
that is not such a big deal to remember to do.

Rick

 
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