3 Ways To Remove Non-Numeric Characters In Excel

When working with data in Excel, it's not uncommon to encounter non-numeric characters that can disrupt calculations, sorting, and other data analysis tasks. Whether you're dealing with phone numbers, IDs, or any other type of data that contains a mix of numbers and letters, removing non-numeric characters can be a crucial step in data cleaning. In this article, we'll explore three effective ways to remove non-numeric characters in Excel.

Understanding the Problem

Non-numeric characters can sneak into your data in various ways. For instance, you might have phone numbers with area codes enclosed in parentheses, IDs with hyphens or slashes, or text strings that contain numbers but also letters or special characters. These non-numeric characters can cause problems when you try to perform mathematical operations, sort data, or apply filters.

Method 1: Using the SUBSTITUTE Function

One straightforward way to remove non-numeric characters is by using the SUBSTITUTE function in combination with the ISNUMBER function and an array formula. Here's how you can do it:

1. Assume your data is in column A, starting from cell A1.
2. In a new column (say, column B), enter the following formula:

=SUBSTITUTE(SUBSTITUTE(SUBSTITUTE(A1,"a",""),"b",""),"c","")

This formula replaces the letters "a", "b", and "c" with nothing, effectively removing them. You can add more SUBSTITUTE functions to remove more characters.

3. To remove all non-numeric characters, you can use the following array formula:

=SUMPRODUCT(MID(0&A1,ROW(INDIRECT("1:"&LEN(A1))),1)*1)

Press Ctrl+Shift+Enter to enter the formula as an array formula.

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Method 2: Using the REGEX Function in VBA

For more complex data cleaning tasks, you can use regular expressions (regex) in VBA to remove non-numeric characters. Here's how:

1. Open the Visual Basic Editor by pressing Alt+F11 or navigating to Developer > Visual Basic in the ribbon.
2. In the editor, click Insert > Module to create a new module.
3. Paste the following code into the module:

Function RemoveNonNumeric(text As String) As String
    RemoveNonNumeric = RegExp.Replace(text, "[^0-9]", "")
End Function

4. Close the editor and return to your Excel worksheet.
5. In a new column (say, column B), enter the following formula:

=RemoveNonNumeric(A1)

This formula calls the RemoveNonNumeric function and removes all non-numeric characters from the text in cell A1.

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Method 3: Using Power Query

If you're using Excel 2016 or later, you can use Power Query to remove non-numeric characters. Here's how:

1. Select the data range (say, column A).
2. Go to the Data tab in the ribbon and click From Table/Range to create a new query.
3. In the Power Query Editor, click Add Column > Custom Column.
4. In the Custom Column dialog, enter the following formula:

=Text.Select([Column1],{"0".."9"})

This formula selects only the numeric characters from the text in column A. 5. Click OK to create the new column. 6. Click Close & Load to load the query into a new worksheet.

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Conclusion

Removing non-numeric characters is an essential data cleaning task in Excel. Whether you're using the SUBSTITUTE function, the REGEX function in VBA, or Power Query, there are several effective ways to remove non-numeric characters and improve the quality of your data. By choosing the method that best suits your needs, you can ensure that your data is accurate, consistent, and ready for analysis.

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Remove Non-Numeric Characters in Excel Image Gallery

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