Ever need to extract just the bold portion of some cells automatically? You can use my getBoldText VBA custom function to do that. This function takes a cell and returns the bold portion if any. See these sample results:
Using Custom Functions in Excel
To extract the bold text from cells, we are going to use User Defined Function (UDF) feature of Excel.
This feature let’s us build custom functionality that is not part of Excel.
- Step 1: Go to Visual Basic Editor (Press ALT+F11 or click on Developer Ribbon > Visual Basic)
- Step 2: Right on your workbook in the left-hand panel and insert a new module (refer to below illustration).
Add the getBoldText() Code to your workbook
In the module, copy paste below code.
Function getBoldText(fromthis As Range) As String
Dim i As Integer, size As Integer
Dim output As String
size = fromthis.Characters.Count
If fromthis.Font.FontStyle Like "Bold*" Then
output = fromthis.Value
Else
For i = 1 To size
If fromthis.Characters(i, 1).Font.FontStyle Like "Bold*" Then
output = output & fromthis.Characters(i, 1).Caption
End If
Next i
End If
getBoldText = output
End Function
Save your workbook (as .XLSM file).
Now, you can use =getBoldText() function in your file to extract the bold values from any cell contents.
How to use this function?
Save your workbook (as .XLSM file).
Now, you can use =getBoldText() function in your file to extract the bold values from any cell contents.
The syntax is:
=getBoldText(cell_address)
See this quick demo to understand how to use the function.
How to install this function so it works in all files?
You can also install this function using your personal macros workbook.
Follow below process:
- Click on “Excel Add-ins” button in either Developer Ribbon or Options > Add-ins > Excel Add-ins > Go
- Enable “Personal” macro workbook. This is a macro file that let’s you store reusable macros & custom functions like getBoldText.
- Now go to Visual Basic Editor (ALT+F11) and locate the personal macro file. It would be named personal.xlam
- Expand the file and add a module if necessary.
- Copy paste the VBA code for getBoldText into this module.
- Save and restart Excel.
- Now, you should be able to use the getBoldText across any of your workbooks (on your computer).
Known issues and bugs
In my preliminary testing this function worked fine in Excel 365. I have not tested it in older versions of Excel like 2013 or 2010. If you notice any bugs or issues please report using the comments feature on this page.
More VBA Examples
Check out below VBA / Automation examples to simplify your work:
13 Responses to “Using pivot tables to find out non performing customers”
To avoid the helper column and the macro, I would transpose the data into the format shown above (Name, Year, Sales). Now I can show more than one year, I can summarize - I can do many more things with it. ASAP Utilities (http://www.asap-utilities.com) has a new experimental feature that can easily transpose the table into the correct format. Much easier in my opinion.
David
Of course with alternative data structure, we can easily setup a slicer based solution so that everything works like clockwork with even less work.
David, I was just about to post the same!
In Contextures site, I remember there's a post on how to do that. Clearly, the way data is layed out on the very beginning is critical to get the best results, and even you may thinkg the original layout is the best way, it is clearly not. And that kind of mistakes are the ones I love ! because it teaches and trains you to avoid them, and how to think on the data structure the next time.
Eventually, you get to that place when you "see" the structure on the moment the client tells you the request, and then, you realized you had an ephiphany, that glorious moment when data is no longer a mistery to you!!!
Rgds,
Chandoo,
If the goal is to see the list of customers who have not business from yearX, I would change the helper column formula to :
=IF(selYear="all",sum(C4:M4),sum(offset(C4:M4,,selyear-2002,1,columns(C4:M4)-selyear+2002)))This formula will sum the sales from Selected Year to 2012.
JMarc
If you are already using a helper column and the combox box runs a macro after it changes, why not just adjust the macro and filter the source data?
Regards
I gotta say, it seems like you are giving 10 answers to 10 questions when your client REALLY wants to know is: "What is the last year "this" customer row had a non-zero Sales QTY?... You're missing the forest for the trees...
Change the helper column to:
=IFERROR(INDEX(tblSales[[#Headers],[Customer name]:[Sales 2012]],0,MATCH(9.99999999999999E+307,tblSales[[#This Row],[Customer name]:[Sales 2012]],1)),"NO SALES")
And yes, since I'm matching off of them for value, I would change the headers to straight "2002" instead of "Sales 2002" but you sort the table on the helper column and then and there you can answer all of your questions.
Hi thanks for this. Just can't figure out how you get the combo box to control the pivot table. Can you please advise?
Cheers
@Kevin.. You are welcome. To insert a combo box, go to Developer ribbon > Insert > form controls > combo box.
For more on various form controls and how to use them, please read this: http://chandoo.org/wp/2011/03/30/form-controls/
Thanks Chandoo. But I know how to insert a combobox, I was more referring to how does in control the year in the pivot table? Or is this obvious? I note that if I select the Selected Year from the PivotTable Field List it says "the field has no itens" whereas this would normally allow you to change the year??
Thanks again
worked it out thanks...
when =data!Q2 changes it changes the value in column N:N and then when you do a refreshall the pivottable vlaues get updated
Still not sure why PivotTable Field List says “the field has no itens"?? I created my own pivot table and could not repeat that.
Hi, I put the sales data in range(F5:P19) and added a column D with the title 'Last sales in year'. After that, in column D for each customer, the simple formula
=2000+MATCH(1000000,E5:P5)
will provide the last year in which that particular customer had any sales, which can than easily be managed by autofilter.
Somewhat longer but perhaps a bit more solid (with the column titles in row 4):
=RIGHT(INDEX($F$4:$P$19,1,MATCH(1000000,F5:P5)),4)
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