FIND Excel Formula

Zaheer    Formulas     Excel Formula, FIND

Microsoft Excel is indeed one of the most powerful computer programs created by the Microsoft Company. Excel is equipped with numerous functions that help people to cope with the increasing complexity of their work, especially these days that the technology is advancing. Here let us talk about  some of the Excel’s function such as Search and most especially Find function that offers a lot of benefits to the users.

In Microsoft Excel, there two functions that have almost the same functionality. These two functions are used to search for some data inside the cells that matches parameter that you have indicated. They are the FIND and SEARCH function in Excel. They are actually the same, in fact, a user may wonder why there are 2 different functions that provide nearly similar results and even the syntax is the same. Here we will provide you a discussion of the Find and Search functions in Microsoft Excel and the fundamental differences between the two.

Overview of Search function in Microsoft Excel

SEARCH function are utilized to locate a character with other cells. In other works, when you trylooking for some characters that is  located in the cell containing a sentence, word or some kinds of data, you could do that by utilizing SEARCH function. Formula of the function:

=SEARCH(“find_text”,”within_text”,start_num)

As examples, words like beautiful” is contained in cell A1 and you required the position of letters ‘b’ on the cell. To do this, you could utilize SEARCH function formul2134-#777-B234a which is:

=SEARCH(“b”,A1,1)

The function will provide you result which is 1. Then when you are looking for the position of letter “t”, you could employ this formula:

=SEARCH(“t”,A1,1)

The function would return the result which is 5. You may use SEARCH function as well to locate the position of group of characters. As an example, “2134-#777-B234″ is contained in cell A2. If you want to search forlocations of “B23″, you can use Search function formula:

=SEARCH(“B23″,A2,1)

The function returns the result which is 11.

Overview of Find function in Microsoft Excel

Find Function is one more technique to locate the position of a characte with other cell, similar to Search function. Its syntax includes:

=FIND(“find_text”,”within_text”,start_num)

With usage of similar sample in Search functions, the position of letter ‘b cell’ A1 would be located using this formula:

=FIND((“b”,A1,1)

Similarly, you would obtain a result which is 1. Then if you want to search for locations of letter “t” in cell A1, could use this formula:

=FIND(“t”, A1,1)

The function would return value which is 5. Once again, for example, “2134-#777-B234″ is contained in cell A2. Then if you want to search for the position of “B23″, you may use this formula:

=FIND(“B23″,A2,1)

FIND function returns the result which is 11. If you will notice, to the point, you can obtain similar results by using the SEARCH / FIND function in Excel.

Major Differences Between the Two Functions

The major variaiton between the two functions is , FIND function’s sensitive case whereas SEARCH function isn’tt. Therefore, if you employed formula=Search “B”,A1,1) (take note of the capital letter B), the SEARCH function would still return the same result which is 1. But when you were going employ the FIND formula, =FIND(“B”,A1,1), the function would return the result which is #VALUE! Since Find is the case sensitive as well as there are no B in word “beautiful”.

Another difference between two is, Search permits for usage of wild cards while Find doesn’t. In cse of this matter, the asterisks would search for the start of the string of character right before it, and quesiton mark would search for the right phrase and strings of character within a cell.

However, despite of their differences, in short, the SEARCH or FIND functions are very identical,and not unless you require confirmation of a certain character or some series of character, you would preferto employ SEARCH function. Based from an Excel user’s experience, SEARCH function has been useful and beneficial especially for particular financial modeling exercise. However, it is essential to learn about the differences of these two functions in terms of their usage and results.