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How to split excel data into columns - urgent help requested.

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Hola.

I've got text data in the following format:

Aaron Bailey(anpaulbailey@gmail.com)
Ajay Jindia(ajia@bellsouth.net)
Alan Weinberg(adberg@att.net)
Alex C. Hernandez(al34513@hotmail.com)

And would like to use excel to break it into columns like:

Aaron Bailey anbailey@gmail.com

Some data feilds may have middle initials like the 4th row. If thats the case then:

Alex C. Hernandez al34513@hotmail.com

Help will be most apprecited.

Thx.

2 replies

by thumbsup2

Use Text to Columns to start separating out your data into columns.

First, make sure there is an empty column to the right of the one with your original data.

Next, highlight all of the data in the column containing full name and address, use data > text to columns, delimited with the ) character. This deletes the ) character.

Next, highlight the entire original column containing the full name and address again which is now minus the ) character, use data > text to columns, delimited with the ( character. That will move just the email addy to the empty column and delete the ( character.

Now, insert TWO column to the left of the email addy, between it and the full name.

Next, highlight the original column again which now contains the full name, use data > text to columns, delimited with a space. This will cause the names with a middle initial to fill all three columns (first, middle, last), but the names with no initial will have the last name in the second column instead of the third. Don't get confused, you can fix it.

Now, scroll down through your data, highlighting the cells where the last name is in the 2nd column and also highlighting the empty 3rd column next to it. Press CTRL+R to copy right, then re-highlight the data in the same cells of the 2nd column and delete it. Continue to the bottom of the sheet. This moves the last names all to the 3rd column leaving the 2nd column blank where there is no middle initial.

This will leave you with columns for:
First
Middle (might be empty)
Last
Email

It's a bit tedious, especially if you have lots of data, but it can be done.

Of course, you could always write a VBScript (macro) to do it for you, if you know the language. ;)

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