Microsoft KB Archive/100789

Microsoft Knowledge Base

Excel: Text Fields with Digits Not Matched to Criteria

Last reviewed: September 12, 1996
Article ID: Q100789

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 2.x, 3.0, 4.0, 4.0a
• Microsoft Excel for OS/2, versions 2.2, 3.0
• Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 2.2 , 3.0 ,4.0

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel, if a database contains records with text entries that include numbers, such as a1x, you may not be able to use comparison criteria to match those records.

WORKAROUNDS

If you are using Microsoft Excel version 4.0 or later

To use comparison criteria to extract text values that contain numbers, enable the Alternate Expression Evaluation option and precede the criteria with a single apostrophe, such as '7*. To enable this option, choose Calculation from the Options menu and select the Alternate Expression Evaluation check box.

If you are using Microsoft Excel version 3.0 or earlier

Use computed criteria to extract records based on this criteria. For example, use =key="7" (including the quotation marks).

For more information about how to use computed criteria, see pages 374-375 of the version 3.0 "User's Guide."

This behavior is by product design.

REFERENCES

"User's Guide 1," version 4.0, pages 331-334 "User's Guide," version 3.0, page 374-375

KBCategory: kbusage KBSubcategory: Additional reference words: 2.0 2.00 2.01 2.1 2.10 2.2 2.20 2.21 3.0 3.00 4.0 4.00 4.0a 4.00a THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY. Last reviewed: September 12, 1996 ©1997 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Legal Notices.