software

I am in Law Enf and our computer system is set up to require new, never
before used, passwords for every user every 90 days.

I have been attempting to generate random passwords in excel using this:
=CHAR(RANDBETWEEN(48,122))
It works fine except that it also creates passwords with characters other
than numbers and upper/lower case letters.

Can someone tell me how to generate random passwords resulting in only the
characters mentioned?

Thanks in advance... Russ
Hi!

One way:

List all the allowed chars in column A starting in A1. You could do this
using a formula if you want but it's not much faster than just manually
typing them in:

A1 = A
A2 = B
...
A26 = Z
A27 = 0
...
A36 = 9
A37 = a
...
A62 = z

In B1 enter this formula and copy down to B62:

=RAND()

Now, depending on how many chars you need for the pword, enter a formula
like this in, say, D1: (using a 5 char pword)

=A1amp;A2amp;A3amp;A4amp;A5

Now, select both columns A and B and do a sort on column B.

Biff

quot;RUSSquot; gt; wrote in message
...
gt;I am in Law Enf and our computer system is set up to require new, never
gt; before used, passwords for every user every 90 days.
gt;
gt; I have been attempting to generate random passwords in excel using this:
gt; =CHAR(RANDBETWEEN(48,122))
gt; It works fine except that it also creates passwords with characters other
gt; than numbers and upper/lower case letters.
gt;
gt; Can someone tell me how to generate random passwords resulting in only the
gt; characters mentioned?
gt;
gt; Thanks in advance... Russ
gt;
gt;
You could setup a table A1:B62. In column A, enter the numbers 1 through 62.
In column B enter your possible values 0 through 9, a through z, and A
through Z.

Then use VLOOKUP to get your password:

=VLOOKUP(RANDBETWEEN(1,62),$A$1:$B$62,2,FALSE)

HTH,
Elkarquot;RUSSquot; wrote:

gt; I am in Law Enf and our computer system is set up to require new, never
gt; before used, passwords for every user every 90 days.
gt;
gt; I have been attempting to generate random passwords in excel using this:
gt; =CHAR(RANDBETWEEN(48,122))
gt; It works fine except that it also creates passwords with characters other
gt; than numbers and upper/lower case letters.
gt;
gt; Can someone tell me how to generate random passwords resulting in only the
gt; characters mentioned?
gt;
gt; Thanks in advance... Russ
gt;
gt;
gt;

Biff wrote...
gt;One way:
gt;
gt;List all the allowed chars in column A starting in A1. You could do this
gt;using a formula if you want but it's not much faster than just manually
gt;typing them in:
....
gt;In B1 enter this formula and copy down to B62:
gt;
gt;=RAND()
gt;
gt;Now, depending on how many chars you need for the pword, enter a formula
gt;like this in, say, D1: (using a 5 char pword)
gt;
gt;=A1amp;A2amp;A3amp;A4amp;A5
gt;
gt;Now, select both columns A and B and do a sort on column B.
....

This is a fine example of something that can be done easily using
scripting languages and not as easily using spreadsheets. But, WTH,
another alternative.

Define RPWC referring to

=MID(quot;ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZzbcdefghijklmnopqr stuvwxyz0123456789quot;,
1 INT(62*RAND*()),1)

Then use formulas like

=RPWCamp;RPWCamp;RPWCamp;RPWCamp;RPWCI like this, saves having to sort repeatedly.

To generate a new pword, just press F9.

A couple of minor typos:

No lowercase quot;Aquot;.

WXYZzbcde

1 INT(62*RAND*()),1)

Should be:

1 INT(62*RAND()),1)

Biff

quot;Harlan Grovequot; gt; wrote in message ups.com...
gt; Biff wrote...
gt;gt;One way:
gt;gt;
gt;gt;List all the allowed chars in column A starting in A1. You could do this
gt;gt;using a formula if you want but it's not much faster than just manually
gt;gt;typing them in:
gt; ...
gt;gt;In B1 enter this formula and copy down to B62:
gt;gt;
gt;gt;=RAND()
gt;gt;
gt;gt;Now, depending on how many chars you need for the pword, enter a formula
gt;gt;like this in, say, D1: (using a 5 char pword)
gt;gt;
gt;gt;=A1amp;A2amp;A3amp;A4amp;A5
gt;gt;
gt;gt;Now, select both columns A and B and do a sort on column B.
gt; ...
gt;
gt; This is a fine example of something that can be done easily using
gt; scripting languages and not as easily using spreadsheets. But, WTH,
gt; another alternative.
gt;
gt; Define RPWC referring to
gt;
gt; =MID(quot;ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZzbcdefghijklmnopqr stuvwxyz0123456789quot;,
gt; 1 INT(62*RAND*()),1)
gt;
gt; Then use formulas like
gt;
gt; =RPWCamp;RPWCamp;RPWCamp;RPWCamp;RPWC
gt;