software

I imported a database from !ACT to excel which included a phone# column

I need to sort the column but many of the phone numbers have the area
code in parentheses (207)-555-1234 so they sort seperately from
207-555-1234.

The problem is when I try to edit the phone# in the cell the ( )
disappears. They aren't in the formula bar either so I can't fix the
problem.

Formatting the whole column as phone numbers doesn't help.

I could retype them all but there are thousands.

Any suggestions why the cell would display and sort one way yet
actually contain something different when selected?--
philtyler
------------------------------------------------------------------------
philtyler's Profile: www.excelforum.com/member.php...oamp;userid=12476
View this thread: www.excelforum.com/showthread...hreadid=539315Consider changing all values that look like:
(207)-555-1234
into:
2075551234

Then sorting will work normally.First enter this tiny UDF:

Function dephone(r As Range) As Long
Dim s As String
s = r.Value
s = Replace(s, quot;(quot;, quot;quot;)
s = Replace(s, quot;)quot;, quot;quot;)
s = Replace(s, quot;-quot;, quot;quot;)
dephone = --s
End Function

If your phone numbers are in column A, then in an un-used column enter:

=dephone(A1) and copy down.

Copy this new dephone column and paste as value elsewhere and you are ready
for sorting.
--
Gary's Studentquot;philtylerquot; wrote:

gt;
gt; I imported a database from !ACT to excel which included a phone# column
gt;
gt; I need to sort the column but many of the phone numbers have the area
gt; code in parentheses (207)-555-1234 so they sort seperately from
gt; 207-555-1234.
gt;
gt; The problem is when I try to edit the phone# in the cell the ( )
gt; disappears. They aren't in the formula bar either so I can't fix the
gt; problem.
gt;
gt; Formatting the whole column as phone numbers doesn't help.
gt;
gt; I could retype them all but there are thousands.
gt;
gt; Any suggestions why the cell would display and sort one way yet
gt; actually contain something different when selected?
gt;
gt;
gt; --
gt; philtyler
gt; ------------------------------------------------------------------------
gt; philtyler's Profile: www.excelforum.com/member.php...oamp;userid=12476
gt; View this thread: www.excelforum.com/showthread...hreadid=539315
gt;
gt;