Learn How to Convert Dates from Text to Values in Excel using Strings

Описание: In this advanced Excel tutorial, you will learn how to convert dates from text to values using strings. Discover the step-by-step process to correctly format date strings and transform them into usable data within your Excel spreadsheets.

Data is received from multiple source systems, which sometimes get converted automatically. But most of the times you end up getting up a text field.

Now this field contains data which is showing calendar date but are formatted as text format. So to convert this into date format, few steps are to be followed.

Now to get a clear concept, the left range or right range can cover the complete text, if used individually. But when it is used in the combination, the text format can be divided into the required length.

The formula for strings is as follows:

LEFT RANGE:
LEFT(Cell Address, Character COUNT position from LEFT in that particular cell)
Programming Code Style:
LEFT
(
Cell Address,
Character COUNT position from LEFT in that particular cell
)

MID RANGE:
MID (Cell Address, Starting Character COUNT from LEFT, Character COUNT position from LEFT in that particular cell)
Programming Code Style:
MID
(
Cell Address,
Starting Character COUNT from LEFT,
Character COUNT position from LEFT in that particular cell
)

RIGHT RANGE:
RIGHT(Cell Address, Character COUNT position from RIGHT in that particular cell)
Programming Code Style:
RIGHT
(
Cell Address,
Character COUNT position from RIGHT in that particular cell
)

The date formula is as follows:

Date(Year, Month, Date)
Programming Code Style:
Date
(
Year,
Month,
Date
)

But this date formula alone in Microsoft Excel cannot recognize the text formats, but can only identify and read values.

So in our example of date format in text, a combination of date and strings are used, so Microsoft Excel identifies this column as date.

The formula will be narrated as follows:

= DATE ( LEFT ( B3 , 4 ) , MID ( B3 , 5 , 2 ), RIGHT ( B3 , 2 ) )

Let's now understand in a simplified manner on how excel reads and understands this formula further:
=
DATE . . . [ Excel Understands the Date formula as
Years as YYYY,
Month as MM &
Dates as DD ]
( . . . [ Parenthesis Start ]
LEFT . . . [ LEFT String Operator ]
( . . . [ Parenthesis Start ]
B3, . . . [ Cell Reference ]
4 . . . [ Character COUNT For LEFT Operator ]
), . . . [ Parenthesis Closed ]
MID . . . [ MID String Operator ]
( . . . [ Parenthesis Start ]
B3, . . . [ Cell Reference ]
5, . . . [ Character COUNT START For MID Operator ]
2 . . . [ Character COUNT For MID Operator ]
), . . . [ Parenthesis Closed ]
RIGHT . . . [ RIGHT String Operator ]
( . . . [ Parenthesis Start ]
B3, . . . [ Cell Reference ]
2 . . . [ Character COUNT For RIGHT Operator ]
) . . . [ Parenthesis Closed ]
) . . . [ Parenthesis Closed ]

The DATEVALUE function is used to convert a date string into a date value that Excel can recognize. This function requires the date string to be in a specific format, such as "dd/mm/yyyy" or "mm/dd/yyyy". If the date string is not in the correct format, the DATEVALUE function will return an error. To avoid this, you can use string functions to rearrange the date components in the correct order before using the DATEVALUE function.

This formula uses the RIGHT function to extract the year from the text string, the MID function to extract the month, and the LEFT function to extract the day.

This Excel tutorial covers the process of converting dates from text to values using strings, and is perfect for advanced users seeking to improve their data manipulation skills. With step-by-step instructions, you'll learn how to correctly format date strings and transform them into usable data.
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