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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7 Responses to “Extract data from PDF to Excel – Step by Step Tutorial”

  1. Jinesh Vasa says:

    Dear Chandoo,

    Thank you very much for this and it is very helpful.
    However, all the Credit Card Statements are now password protected.
    Please advise how can we have a workaround for that

  2. Sivakumar H says:

    Hello sir,
    How to check two names are present in the same column ?
    Thanks and Regards

  3. Ahmed Mallook says:

    Hi, Thank you for the great tip. One problem, when I click on get data >> from file, I don't see the PDF source option. How can I add it?
    I tried to add it from Quick Access toolbar >>> Data Tab, but again the PDF option is not listed there.
    I am using Office 365

  4. PP says:

    Hi, Thank you for your video. I see you used the composite table, but I when I load my pdf, it does not load any composite table. It has 20 tables and 4 pages for one bank statement. I have about 30 bank statements that I want to combine. Your video would work except that I can't get the composite table and each of the tables I do get or the pages does not have all the info. what to do?

  5. Jr. H says:

    Dear Chandoo,
    How do we select multiple amount of tables/pages in one PDF and repeat the same for rest of the PDF;s in the same folder and then extract that data only on power query.

    Thank you

  6. antonlagi says:

    Hi, Thank you for your video. I see you used the composite table, but I when I load my pdf, it does not load any composite table. It has 20 tables and 4 pages for one bank statement. I have about 30 bank statements that I want to combine. nice share

  7. One bank statement takes up 20 tables and four pages in this document. I need to consolidate roughly thirty different bank statements that I have. Your video would be useful if I could only get the composite table, which I can't for some reason, and each of the tables or pages that I can get is missing some information.

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