No, none that I can see. This is free-format input by the user, and as much
as we'd like to insist that the user use a prescribed format, we can't be
sure that they always will. I just need a way to look for a 7-digit number
anywhere within the text.

Thanks for any suggestions you can provide.

"Bob Phillips" wrote:

Is there any hard and fast rule that governs where the number might appear,
such as before the first full stop?

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__________________________________
HTH

Bob

"Eric_NY" wrote in message
...
I have a column containing text values like "User requested authority of
emergency ID for reason NHUSER23 Restore of object to library LEVEL2
under remedy 1074317. 06/04/09 17:46 QPGMR".

Some of the cells contain a 7-digit number and others don't. The 7-digit
number does not start at a fixed location in the text.

Is it possible to write a formula which looks for the 7-digit number, and
returns the number if present, and another value (such as 0 or
"*MISSING*")
if not?

I'm using Excel 2003.

Thanks.