This is CRAZY!!!. I stumbled on a weird use for FILTERXML() while reading a forum post earlier today. So I couldn’t wait to test it. I am happy to share the results.
Say you have some text (sentence / phrase / keyword etc.) in a cell and you want to extract the nth word. Unfortunately Excel doesn’t have SPLIT() formula. So we end up writing obscenely long array formulas or use gazillion helper columns.
Here is the super sneaky trick. Use FILTERXML() instead.
See this example
How to extract words from sentence with FILTERXML
Say you have a long sentence (or keyword phrase) in cell C3.
Step 1: Convert this to valid XML
This sounds complicated that it is. All you need to do is prefix, insert and suffix some tags. Like this:
="<DATA><A>"& SUBSTITUTE(C3, " ", "</A><A>") & "</A></DATA>"
This will turn C3 in to a valid XML block with each word as <A> node.
Step 2: Use FILTERXML on this to extract words
Now that we have valid XML, you can say =FILTERXML(C5, “/DATA/A[3]”)
to extract the 3rd word from our XML converted sentence.
Step 3: There are no more steps. Enjoy FILTERXML.
Bonus trick: Use [last()] to get the last word. For example, =FILTERXML(C5, “/DATA/A[last()]”) will get you the last word from sentence.
Watch this – how to extract words with FILTERXML() in Excel
I was so excited to learn about this that I recorded a video in my robe. Rated A (for awesomeness), Do check it out below or on my YouTube page.
Download example workbook
Click here to download the example file for this tip. Play with FILTERXML to learn more.
Learn more about XML & XPATH
If you want to learn how XML and Xpath work, check out these pages.
- Xpath cheatsheet – devhints
- Xpath examples – w3 Schools
What if you can’t use FILTERXML?
FILTERXML works in Excel 2013 or above. But if you are using an older version of Excel or Excel for Mac, then you can’t rely on this method. Check out below two examples to learn other ways to split and extract words from sentences.
Do you FILTERXML for splitting or something else …?
I almost never use FILTERXML unless I am calculating distance between points or calling a webservice. But this use of splitting text is fun. Big thanks to GraH for posting this in the forum.
What about you? Have you used FILTERXML for any other out of box situations? Please share in the comments. Pretty please with sprinkles of conditional formatting icons on top 🙂
11 Responses
Ciao Hui,
Collecting Excel tricks under the title “Notable Excel Websites (Non-MVP) Edition” is a brilliant idea…
Thank you in the name of all The FrankensTeam.
On our site there is a box with a picture and text highlighting:
This is a no-MVP site
we think ourselves “bad boys” a bit 🙂
For those who would like to know why our site is a no-MVP site, enough to click on the link:
http://goo.gl/lxDszY
Thank you again!
Thanks a lot
I really enjoyed this (newsletter). I must admit that I rarely read an Excel newsletter (and I subscribe to quite a few) all the way though, but this grabbed my attention and before I realized it, I was engrossed in it. I must also admit that most of this I don’t understand, yet. But, it excites me when I do learn something new in Excel. I can’t wait to see how much of this I can implement into my (constantly-evolving) ‘House Budget’ & ‘Family Medical’ worksheets that I have developed over the past few years! I sure hope to see more of these type of newsletters in the future! Thanks!
Thanks for doing this Hui! I appreciate being included.
I like Tom’s tip a lot. I posted about a tool I wrote to automate this at http://yoursumbuddy.com/tables-edit-query-dialog/
EXCELLENT !
Hui, This post is Superb! More over I have always been a fan of Roberto’s work and have learnt a lot from him.
Here are some of my recent contributions
1. Customising markers in a chart – http://www.goodly.co.in/customize-markers-in-a-chart/
2. Charting Hacks to work faster – http://www.goodly.co.in/5-charting-hacks-to-help-you-work-faster/
3. 7 Date formulas to make life easy – http://www.goodly.co.in/date-formulas-in-excel/
4. Customised scrollbar using VBA – http://www.goodly.co.in/customized-scroll-bar-in-excel/
5. Adding Direct Legends – http://www.goodly.co.in/customized-scroll-bar-in-excel/
Hope everyone enjoys!
I like the Excel Ninja Menus.
1. Select a cell or range then move till the 4-way cross appears. Right-Click and drag the selection to another place in the worksheet then, like a ninja, a menu full of skills and throwing stars pops up allowing me to do all kinds of awesomeness.
2. When you click the fill box on a Date and right click and drag it down, a lot of amazing Date options pop up.
I also brand my Excel to remind myself that I’m awesome. In my personal macro workbook I place the following code.
Private Sub Workbook_Open()
Application.Caption = “SuperKrishna’s Awesomeness”
End Sub
My favorite tip goes along with #17. If you try to copy subtotaled data (and in earlier Excel versions filtered data),when you paste it all the data displays instead of just the summarized data.
To get around this, select your summarized data, click on Find and Select tab and then select Go to Special. Click Visible cells Only and click OK. Now paste and you will see that only the summarized data has been copied.
You can also go CTRL+G and then click the Special icon at the bottom of the dialog box.
What a great idea, Chandoo! I’d love to be included in your next edition:) Perhaps a VBA exclusive version?
@Ryan
I will review this concept about 6 months out from the original post and be sure to keep your site in mind
Hui…
That sounds great, Hui:) I just realized I gave credit to Chandoo for the idea and I should have attributed it to you.
Sorry about that!