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J_MacDuff's avatar
J_MacDuff
Copper Contributor
May 25, 2023

Distinguish between words and acronyms in excel

I use an Excel spreadsheet to separate long descriptions from vendors or manufacturers into 35-character blocks in PROPER format for entry into my ERP system.  As the process works now acronyms in th...
Formulas and Functions
J_MacDuff's avatar
J_MacDuff
Copper Contributor
May 26, 2023
Thanks Nikolino.
This looks great. I can't wait to implement. I'll post results when it's done.
NikolinoDE's avatar
NikolinoDE
Platinum Contributor
May 26, 2023

J_MacDuff 

As I said before, "In Excel there is no built-in function specifically designed to check if a string is a valid word or acronym against a dictionary. However, you can achieve this using custom VBA code and external resources.”

There are certainly other ways, to find a suitable solution that might suit you, I just described one way. You know better than anyone here whether one of the trails is right for you or not.

I would never downgrade or criticize an suggestion to profile my suggestion like some do.

 

Of course you can also use formulas instead of VBA, but that would be too cumbersome in my opinion. If you are looking for a third-party solution to differentiate between words and acronyms in Excel, you may consider using add-ins or plugins that provide advanced text analysis or natural language processing capabilities.

Here are two of  third-party or MS AddIns options:

  1. Power Tools for Excel: Power Tools is an Excel add-in that provides various text manipulation and analysis features. It includes functions for identifying and categorizing words, acronyms, and other text patterns. You can explore their features to see if they meet your specific needs.
  2. Ablebits Ultimate Suite: Ablebits Ultimate Suite is a collection of Excel add-ins that enhance Excel's functionality. It offers a variety of tools for data analysis and manipulation, including text processing capabilities. While it may not have a specific feature for distinguishing words and acronyms, it provides functions for advanced text manipulation that could potentially be adapted to your requirements.

These are just two examples of third-party solutions, that provide advanced text analysis capabilities in Excel. You can learn about their features, compatibility with your version of Excel, and user reviews to determine which solution best suits your specific needs and preferences.

...and as I said, in the end you have to decide for yourself what is acceptable to you and what is not, without having to obstinately listen to everyone who is anonymous.