Split Text on New Line using Excel & VBA [Macros]

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Hafiz, One of our avid readers, writes in.

Dear chandoo,

all the time, I use to spend time exploring chandoo.org. it’s very helpful site. thanks for your day & night efforts.

here I have to face a problem with “Text to Column”. can you please spare some time & guide me.

The problem is when I convert data from text to column using dash “-“, conversion is easy. but when the gap provided in text is with “alt+enter”, i can’t convert the data.

Do you have some solution specifically using text to column.

Well, I tried to use text to columns feature (from Data ribbon) and it would not work.

Although you can use formulas to do the splitting, they might become tedious. So the next logical option is to use macros.

Excel Macros to Split Text on New Lines

So I wrote a simple macro, that would take the text in current cell, split it and place it in adjacent cells. Like this:
Split Text on New Line using VBA & Excel

Macro Code to split text on new line:

Here is the macro code to split text based on new lines.

Sub splitText()
'splits Text active cell using ALT+10 char as separator
Dim splitVals As Variant
Dim totalVals As Long

splitVals = Split(ActiveCell.Value, Chr(10))
totalVals = UBound(splitVals)
Range(Cells(ActiveCell.Row, ActiveCell.Column + 1), Cells(ActiveCell.Row, ActiveCell.Column + 1 + totalVals)).Value = splitVals

End Sub

How does this code work?

  1. First we take the activecell’s value and split it based on Chr(10) as delimiter. This is the code for new lines.
  2. Then, we assign this split values to the range of cells adjacent to active cell.
  3. Then, we go grab a cup of coffee and sing our favorite song. Because the work is done!

Download Example Workbook

Click here to download example workbook and play with this macro. Make sure to enable macros.

How do you split text?

I really like the built-in text import feature in Excel and use it often. I use it to clean data, remove unnecessary columns or split text. In cases like this, I resort to VBA to have good control over how I want to split.

What about you? How do you split text. What is your experience. Please share your ideas and tips using comments.

Learn more about Splitting Text

If you split often, you will find this tutorial useful.

More VBA & Excel Macro Examples

If you want to learn VBA, go thru these examples

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19 Responses to “Free Invoice Template using Excel – Download”

  1. Doug H says:

    Nice post! Invoicing for the small biz or solo entrepreneur is something I see a lot of interest in. Also there are great templates from http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates

  2. Abhay says:

    This is awesome.

    I would need a little more. e.g. say I generate a Inv. # 1 with all the details. Once done I can click a button all the relevant details gets stored in some table. Further, when i generate a new invoice those details gets stored in same table but just below the previous invoice.

    Is their a way to do this?

  3. Hui... says:

    Daily dose of Excel held a competition in 2005 for this same topic
    It obtained 9 solutions which are shown:
    http://dailydoseofexcel.com/archives/2005/10/27/invoice-app-the-results/

  4. parimal says:

    How can i removed Dollar Sign, As want to use this in india.
    Please reply.

  5. parimal says:

    Also if possible then can i use Indian Rupee Sign and how?

  6. Gaurang Mhatre says:

    Hi Chandoo,

    Thanks for sharing this invoice template, Let me tell you this template will definitely help me since I got a process to handle where this invoice piece comes. Just a small doubt, can we store all the invoice details in PRODUCT & SERVICES sheet. So that whenever I select an invoice number from invoice sheet I can take print out and I can share it as well. Can we do that?? Since I will be dealing with this on monthly basis.
    It would be great if you can help me with this.

    Thanks in advance for your help!

    Regards,
    Gaurang Mhatre

  7. shrikant says:

    Hi Chandoo,

    I was thinking learning excel is quite tuff task but your blog proved me wrong. You made it very interesting. Thank you. Also the template you have provided for Invoice is very helpful to us.

  8. AKIN KARAMAN says:

    Thanks thanks thanks.. Very helpful. 🙂

  9. Trevor Gordon says:

    Hi i love the speadsheet but would like to ask how do i get it to add the description into the invoice as well

  10. Anuj says:

    Hi Randy, I tried to download one of your link "https://www.dropbox.com/s/2yvo0o2tgq9quhe/Medical_Massage_and_Salon_Application-Free.xlsm" However, i found the link unavailable. Can you please help me get the new link or can you please send this VBA file on my Email-ID.

  11. Kapil says:

    Hi, is there any chance that this can work with the "Products & Service" sheet outside of the Invoice sheet. I create multiple invoice files for the numerous clients. Updating the product sheet for each of them maybe a task. Hence, I want to create a MASTER FILE from which data can be picked up without having to insert new data in each of the invoice files.
    Possible? Or am I asking for the moon 😉

  12. Kadr Leyn says:

    Thank you so much for tutorial.
    This example can be reviewed for the example of the advanced invoice that made with excel userform :https://youtu.be/Qr-4of-38DI

  13. Trevor Gordon says:

    Good Day
    i love this template may i ask if it could be modified to have the following
    when you lookup a item code in the next column to the right it brings up the description then the quantity, unit cost, discount and then total otherwise i love the template

    Item Code Description Quantity Unit Cost Discount Total

  14. Denise Konopka says:

    When creating an Invoice template in Excel are you able to utilize the auto row height and wrap feature when the cell is a merged cell? I need to have a number of cells merged together to allow for enough space to type in the description of work performed (lets say cells A-D are merged in each row) however it seems that I am unable to utilize the auto format feature. To work around this I have to manually increase the row height after each entry. Is there a better solution for this? Thank you!

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