software

I'm novice level with Word and Excel, so excuse what may be a basic
question/problem that I've got.

I asked an employee to enter lots of data into Excel. The data is company
name, address, contact name, and phone number. I requested that each type
of data be entered into different columns. Instead, the employee used MS
Word 2003. To compound the issue, the employee did not use commas, tabs, or
any other delimiter or formatting method that might allow me easily to get
the data over into Excel (by *easily* I mean using a technique that I know
; ) The data in Word simply is separated by random numbers of spaces.
Nothing lines up, either, so I can't use the manual column markers in
Excel's Open As wizard.

What are my options for getting the data into Excel with the 4 categories in
separate columns? There are several hundred rows of data.

Thank you,

JMJM,

Are you fairly sure that the emplyee used two or more spaces between each
entry in a row? Are you also confident that there are only single spaces
between characters within a field (for example, he/she didn't put two spaces
between the state abbreviation and zip code in the address field)? If so,
here is one possible option.

Make a backup copy of the Word document before the experiment!

Open the Word document and either press Ctrl plus the letter quot;hquot; or click
Edit gt; Replace

In the replace window, click the quot;Morequot; button and put a check next to quot;Use
wildcardsquot;

In the quot;Find What:quot; box, type in
[ ]{2,}
note, that is square brackets with a single space between, followed
immediately by curly braces around the number two and a comma.
In the quot;Replace With:quot; box, type in
^t
Now, click the quot;Replace Allquot; button. Every instance where Word finds two or
more spaces in sequence will be replaced by a single tab character. I'd
probably select all the text, click the 'Table' drop down menu and choose to
convert text to a table. This way you can easily check for any odd results
and correct before moving from Word and then do a simple copy gt; paste to
move the table data into Excel.

Steve

quot;JMquot; gt; wrote in message
...
gt; I'm novice level with Word and Excel, so excuse what may be a basic
gt; question/problem that I've got.
gt;
gt; I asked an employee to enter lots of data into Excel. The data is company
gt; name, address, contact name, and phone number. I requested that each type
gt; of data be entered into different columns. Instead, the employee used MS
gt; Word 2003. To compound the issue, the employee did not use commas, tabs,
gt; or any other delimiter or formatting method that might allow me easily to
gt; get the data over into Excel (by *easily* I mean using a technique that I
gt; know ; ) The data in Word simply is separated by random numbers of
gt; spaces. Nothing lines up, either, so I can't use the manual column markers
gt; in Excel's Open As wizard.
gt;
gt; What are my options for getting the data into Excel with the 4 categories
gt; in separate columns? There are several hundred rows of data.
gt;
gt; Thank you,
gt;
gt; JM
gt;
gt;
gt;
gt;
gt;
gt;
gt;
gt;
gt;
gt;
gt;
gt;
gt;

Follow-up to Steves Reply
Sometimes text will line up quot;betterquot; than you think if you do a quot;select
all and convert all text to a quot;Courierquot; Font.
Next time - have the people who enter the text into a WORD Table and
then you can usually copy and paste directly into EXCEL.
If you cannot solve the problem easily - attach a file and someone
might be able to see away to get tabs inserted where the various fields
or excel columns should be.--
wjohnson
------------------------------------------------------------------------
wjohnson's Profile: www.excelforum.com/member.php...oamp;userid=29640
View this thread: www.excelforum.com/showthread...hreadid=497748Steve, thank you very much! The result wasn't perfect, but it's so darn
close. I'm thrilled!

Other than hands-on training, how can I accelerate my learning of MS Office
products like Word and Excel? I can get around them good enough to be
productive, but I'd love to have a more in-depth understanding of some of
their more advanced and powerful features. Input appreciated.

Thanks again.

JM
quot;Steve Yandlquot; gt; wrote in message
...
gt; JM,
gt;
gt; Are you fairly sure that the emplyee used two or more spaces between each
gt; entry in a row? Are you also confident that there are only single spaces
gt; between characters within a field (for example, he/she didn't put two
gt; spaces between the state abbreviation and zip code in the address field)?
gt; If so, here is one possible option.
gt;
gt; Make a backup copy of the Word document before the experiment!
gt;
gt; Open the Word document and either press Ctrl plus the letter quot;hquot; or click
gt; Edit gt; Replace
gt;
gt; In the replace window, click the quot;Morequot; button and put a check next to
gt; quot;Use wildcardsquot;
gt;
gt; In the quot;Find What:quot; box, type in
gt; [ ]{2,}
gt; note, that is square brackets with a single space between, followed
gt; immediately by curly braces around the number two and a comma.
gt; In the quot;Replace With:quot; box, type in
gt; ^t
gt; Now, click the quot;Replace Allquot; button. Every instance where Word finds two
gt; or more spaces in sequence will be replaced by a single tab character.
gt; I'd probably select all the text, click the 'Table' drop down menu and
gt; choose to convert text to a table. This way you can easily check for any
gt; odd results and correct before moving from Word and then do a simple copy
gt; gt; paste to move the table data into Excel.
gt;
gt; Steve
gt;
gt; quot;JMquot; gt; wrote in message
gt; ...
gt;gt; I'm novice level with Word and Excel, so excuse what may be a basic
gt;gt; question/problem that I've got.
gt;gt;
gt;gt; I asked an employee to enter lots of data into Excel. The data is
gt;gt; company name, address, contact name, and phone number. I requested that
gt;gt; each type of data be entered into different columns. Instead, the
gt;gt; employee used MS Word 2003. To compound the issue, the employee did not
gt;gt; use commas, tabs, or any other delimiter or formatting method that might
gt;gt; allow me easily to get the data over into Excel (by *easily* I mean using
gt;gt; a technique that I know ; ) The data in Word simply is separated by
gt;gt; random numbers of spaces. Nothing lines up, either, so I can't use the
gt;gt; manual column markers in Excel's Open As wizard.
gt;gt;
gt;gt; What are my options for getting the data into Excel with the 4 categories
gt;gt; in separate columns? There are several hundred rows of data.
gt;gt;
gt;gt; Thank you,
gt;gt;
gt;gt; JM
gt;gt;
gt;gt;
gt;gt;
gt;gt;
gt;gt;
gt;gt;
gt;gt;
gt;gt;
gt;gt;
gt;gt;
gt;gt;
gt;gt;
gt;gt;
gt;
gt;
JM, you're welcome. I'm glad it worked.

If you're like me, you learn far more with a project relevant to you actual
needs than going through a tutorial. I like to have a few books around for
reference but find that struggling through my own projects and then scanning
newsgroups for problems similar to the obstacles I run into is the fastest
way for me to learn (and retain) the information.

In addition to newsgroups, there are some great web sites for Office
applications. Some of my personal favorites for Excel a
www.cpearson.com/excel.htm
www.j-walk.com/ss/
www.contextures.com/tiptech.html

For Word, you might take a look at:
word.mvps.org/FAQs/index.htm
www.shaunakelly.com/word/index.html
homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister/Steve
quot;JMquot; gt; wrote in message
...
gt; Steve, thank you very much! The result wasn't perfect, but it's so darn
gt; close. I'm thrilled!
gt;
gt; Other than hands-on training, how can I accelerate my learning of MS
gt; Office products like Word and Excel? I can get around them good enough to
gt; be productive, but I'd love to have a more in-depth understanding of some
gt; of their more advanced and powerful features. Input appreciated.
gt;
gt; Thanks again.
gt;
gt; JM
gt;
gt;
gt;
gt;
gt;
gt;
gt;
gt;
gt;
gt;
gt;
gt;
gt; quot;Steve Yandlquot; gt; wrote in message
gt; ...
gt;gt; JM,
gt;gt;
gt;gt; Are you fairly sure that the emplyee used two or more spaces between each
gt;gt; entry in a row? Are you also confident that there are only single spaces
gt;gt; between characters within a field (for example, he/she didn't put two
gt;gt; spaces between the state abbreviation and zip code in the address field)?
gt;gt; If so, here is one possible option.
gt;gt;
gt;gt; Make a backup copy of the Word document before the experiment!
gt;gt;
gt;gt; Open the Word document and either press Ctrl plus the letter quot;hquot; or click
gt;gt; Edit gt; Replace
gt;gt;
gt;gt; In the replace window, click the quot;Morequot; button and put a check next to
gt;gt; quot;Use wildcardsquot;
gt;gt;
gt;gt; In the quot;Find What:quot; box, type in
gt;gt; [ ]{2,}
gt;gt; note, that is square brackets with a single space between, followed
gt;gt; immediately by curly braces around the number two and a comma.
gt;gt; In the quot;Replace With:quot; box, type in
gt;gt; ^t
gt;gt; Now, click the quot;Replace Allquot; button. Every instance where Word finds two
gt;gt; or more spaces in sequence will be replaced by a single tab character.
gt;gt; I'd probably select all the text, click the 'Table' drop down menu and
gt;gt; choose to convert text to a table. This way you can easily check for any
gt;gt; odd results and correct before moving from Word and then do a simple copy
gt;gt; gt; paste to move the table data into Excel.
gt;gt;
gt;gt; Steve
gt;gt;
gt;gt; quot;JMquot; gt; wrote in message
gt;gt; ...
gt;gt;gt; I'm novice level with Word and Excel, so excuse what may be a basic
gt;gt;gt; question/problem that I've got.
gt;gt;gt;
gt;gt;gt; I asked an employee to enter lots of data into Excel. The data is
gt;gt;gt; company name, address, contact name, and phone number. I requested that
gt;gt;gt; each type of data be entered into different columns. Instead, the
gt;gt;gt; employee used MS Word 2003. To compound the issue, the employee did not
gt;gt;gt; use commas, tabs, or any other delimiter or formatting method that might
gt;gt;gt; allow me easily to get the data over into Excel (by *easily* I mean
gt;gt;gt; using a technique that I know ; ) The data in Word simply is separated
gt;gt;gt; by random numbers of spaces. Nothing lines up, either, so I can't use
gt;gt;gt; the manual column markers in Excel's Open As wizard.
gt;gt;gt;
gt;gt;gt; What are my options for getting the data into Excel with the 4
gt;gt;gt; categories in separate columns? There are several hundred rows of data.
gt;gt;gt;
gt;gt;gt; Thank you,
gt;gt;gt;
gt;gt;gt; JM
gt;gt;gt;
gt;gt;gt;
gt;gt;gt;
gt;gt;gt;
gt;gt;gt;
gt;gt;gt;
gt;gt;gt;
gt;gt;gt;
gt;gt;gt;
gt;gt;gt;
gt;gt;gt;
gt;gt;gt;
gt;gt;gt;
gt;gt;
gt;gt;
gt;
gt;