XL98: Unexpected Results When Filtering Text Strings (191157)

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel, when you extract data from a list, you may receive unexpected results if your list contains numbers that are entered as text strings (by preceding the number with an apostrophe).

Numbers that are formatted as text strings and contain leading zeros may be extracted; this may not be the result you want. For example, if your criteria is '012, the numbers '12, '012, 12, and '0012 all meet the criteria.

CAUSE

If the criteria is entered as a text string and not as part of the computed criteria, Microsoft Excel extracts all records that contain the text string at the beginning of the record even if that record is a numeric value.

RESOLUTION

To filter records in a list when the list contains an exact match to a numeric value entered as a text string, use computed criteria. For example, if you are working with data that resembles the following

   A1:  Number     B1:          C1:  Number
   A2:  '12        B2:          C2:  '012
   A3:  '012       B3:          C3:
   A4:  12         B4:          C4:
   A5:  '0012      B5:          C5:

type the following information into cells C1:C2 of the Criteria Range in the example above:

   C1: ExactNumber
   C2: =A2="012"

NOTE: The criteria name in the first row of the criteria range (cell C1) can be any name except the name of a database field; if you use the name of a database field, Microsoft Excel interprets the criteria as comparison criteria. You can also leave the cell blank.