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Microsoft Excel is more than just rows and columns. One of its greatest strengths lies in its powerful formulas and functions. Among them, two frequently used functions for text analysis and data cleaning are FIND() and SEARCH(). Both help locate text within a cell, but they have differences that can impact your workflow.
In this blog, we’ll explore:
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What are FIND() and SEARCH() functions
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Syntax and parameters
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Key differences
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Practical examples
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Common mistakes
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When to use which function
Let’s dive into the world of text locating in Excel!
🔧 What is the FIND() Function?
FIND() is used to locate the starting position of one text string within another.
📌 Syntax:
Parameters:
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find_text: The character or text you want to find. -
within_text: The text string where you want to search. -
start_num(optional): The character position to begin the search (default is 1).
Example:
Result: 2
Because the first "a" appears in the 2nd position.
🔧 What is the SEARCH() Function?
SEARCH() does the same job as FIND – locating a text string – but with more flexibility.
📌 Syntax:
Just like FIND, but the key difference is that SEARCH is case-insensitive, while FIND is case-sensitive.
Example:
Result: 2
It ignores the case and finds "a" or "A" the same way.
🆚 Key Differences Between FIND() and SEARCH()
| Feature | FIND() | SEARCH() |
|---|---|---|
| Case sensitivity | Case-sensitive | Case-insensitive |
| Wildcards support | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Error if not found | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Default start | 1 | 1 |
Use with wildcards like *, ? | ❌ Not supported | ✅ Supported |
🧪 Practical Examples
1. Find First Occurrence of a Word
Returns 1 because "Excel" starts at the first character.
2. Case-Insensitive Search
Returns 1 – even though the case doesn’t match.
3. Finding Second Occurrence (Using Start Number)
Returns 6 – the second "a" appears at position 6.
🌀 SEARCH() with Wildcards
Let’s say you want to find the position of the first word that starts with "An".
Result: 1 – because "Analysis" starts with "An".
Wildcards only work with SEARCH():
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*matches any sequence of characters -
?matches any single character
🧱 Combining FIND/SEARCH with Other Functions
1. Extracting Text Using MID()
If you want to extract a portion of a string starting from a specific keyword:
This pulls text starting after "Email:" (offset of +6) for 20 characters.
2. Find If Word Exists
Use ISNUMBER() with FIND or SEARCH to check existence:
Returns TRUE if "Excel" is found, FALSE otherwise.
3. Get First Name from Full Name
Assuming A1 = "John Doe"
Returns "John"
🛑 Common Errors and How to Fix
| Error | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
#VALUE! | Text not found | Use IFERROR() or ISNUMBER() |
#NAME? | Incorrect function name | Check spelling: it should be FIND, not find |
| Negative position | Invalid start number | Use start position ≥ 1 |
Example with IFERROR():
📈 Use Cases in Admin, MIS & Procurement Roles
These functions are incredibly useful in real-world business roles:
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Admin/HR – Extract first names from email fields.
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Procurement – Search for product codes or PO numbers within long notes.
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MIS Reporting – Clean and analyze large datasets where a particular keyword indicates the start of relevant data.
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Data Cleaning – Strip unnecessary prefixes or suffixes based on position.
⚖️ When to Use FIND() vs SEARCH()
| Scenario | Use |
|---|---|
| You care about letter case | FIND() |
| You need flexible search | SEARCH() |
| You want to use wildcards | SEARCH() |
| Comparing sensitive keywords | FIND() |