The Best Way to Separate Address Text to Multiple Columns

I have been doing an excessive amount of data migration on my last assignment using Microsoft Excel.  Typically I can do this so much faster in Excel than in most other programs including Microsoft Access databases.  The new Excel can handle so much data that I can typically perform all the actions that I need as well as handle the calculation for most average data migrations.

In almost every data set I need to break up the text into many columns of data.  For instance, some times an address is presented in the data within one cell but I need it to be in separate columns.  This typically happens with names or addresses.  In my example below, I will show you how to do this on an Address text string that is entered in one cell, but needs to be separated into multiple cells in Excel.

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Now typically to break up an address from one cell to multiple cells, I almost invariably start by creating a formula.

For instance, for the picture above, if you data was this:





B2 = 1234 Main Street, Denver, CO  80202

(Note that there are 2 spaces after CO and before the postal code)

I would create the following formula to find the string of text that is for the street and place it in cell c3:

C3 =LEFT(B3,FIND(“,”,B3)-1)

I would use a nested Excel Formula of Left Function combined with Find Function.  The Left function will get the text from the start of a string and also a specified number of characters.  We specify how many text characters for Excel to get by finding the first comma using the the Find function and then subtracting one character from that function so that we do not include the comma.

In Cell F3, I would use a the Right Function in Excel.  This is because in the United States the basic zip code is only 5 digits long.  So a simple Right function is fine in this case.

F3 =RIGHT(B3,5)

Sometimes though, a zip code has 9 digits separated with five digits on the left of a dash like this:  80202-9988.  If the data had both the 5 digits version and the 9 digit version, then we would have to use a nested If statement combined with both the Left and Right Excel Functions in the formula.

F3 =IF(LEFT(RIGHT(B3,5),1)=”-“,RIGHT(B3,10),RIGHT(B3,5))

Now here is where it gets real tricky.  You have to use a more complex formula to get the City and State from B3 in order to separate the text from one cell to multiple columns.  For the City text, we will use the MID function in Excel which will return text in the middle of another text string.  So we are going to do the Mid of B3 with the starting from argument by finding the first comma in B3 plus 2 characters so that we do not return the comma and the following space.  Next we will find the how many characters argument by finding the next comma after the first comma and then subtracting that number from the first comma position and also subtracting 2 to not show the comma and an extra space.  Your formula to return the City from the Address would look like this:





D3 =MID(B3,FIND(“,”,B3)+2,FIND(“,”,B3,FIND(“,”,B3)+1)-FIND(“,”,B3)-2)

Wow, that was a tough one and took a few minutes to trouble shoot the formula.

Now for another tricky one of the State.

In this example, the state is only 2 characters, so I would use this formula to retrieve the state from the address cell.  It is a nested IF Statement that checks to see if the US zip/postal code is 5 or 9 digits by looking for the dash as the fifth character from the right.  If the formula finds a dash, then it will use the MID function in Excel to get the 2 state characters by finding the length of the text and subtracting 13 characters as the starting point.  If it is only a 5 digit postal code, then it retrieves the 2 state characters by starting the MID function at the length of the text string minus 8 characters.





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E3 =IF(LEFT(RIGHT(B3,5),1)=”-“,MID(B3,LEN(B3)-13,2),MID(B3,LEN(B3)-8,2))

Note, that my data has 2 spaces before the zip code and that this only works if there are 2 spaces before the zip code. What if there is only one space?  Then your formula would have to be adjusted as follows to only go back 12 or 7 characters instead of 13 or 8:

E3 =IF(LEFT(RIGHT(B3,5),1)=”-“,MID(B3,LEN(B3)-12,2),MID(B3,LEN(B3)-7,2))

Now what if your states are not in the 2 character abbreviation format that most addresses use?  What if your data has the entire state name?  Well then we would have to make a more complicated formula much like we did with the City.

E3 =IF(LEFT(RIGHT(B3,5),1)=”-“,MID(B3,FIND(“,”,B3,FIND(“,”,B3)+1)+2,LEN(B3)-13-FIND(“,”,B3,FIND(“,”,B3)+1)),MID(B3,FIND(“,”,B3,FIND(“,”,B3)+1)+2,LEN(B3)-8-FIND(“,”,B3,FIND(“,”,B3)+1)))

Note, that my data has 2 spaces before the zip code and that this only works if there are 2 spaces before the zip code.  What if there is only one space?  Then your formula would have to be adjusted as follows to only go back 12 or 7 characters instead of 13 or 8:





E3 =IF(LEFT(RIGHT(B3,5),1)=”-“,MID(B3,FIND(“,”,B3,FIND(“,”,B3)+1)+2,LEN(B3)-12-FIND(“,”,B3,FIND(“,”,B3)+1)),MID(B3,FIND(“,”,B3,FIND(“,”,B3)+1)+2,LEN(B3)-7-FIND(“,”,B3,FIND(“,”,B3)+1)))

Copy the text example and formulas into a spreadsheet and give them a try.  Make sure you put them in the same worksheet cells so that they will work without changing them.

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY SIMPLER:

WOW, that seems real complicated.  But don’t fear.  You can either user the formulas I presented above or you can simply use the Text-To-Columns feature in Excel.  I never knew about this feature for so long, and sometimes I forget to use it.  This complex set of formulas can be easily accomplished in 3 easy steps.  Here is how:

Copy your address text that you had in cell B3 and copy it to B8 so that you can then follow this example.  Then Select Cell B8.

Step 1:  Go to Data Ribbon and select the Text to Columns button does is that it separates the content in one Excel Cell into separate columns.  The cool thing is that you set the way that it breaks up the data into those multiple columns.

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You can either choose a Fixed Width type from the Convert Text to Columns Wizard dialog box.  This is best when you have a set number of characters from one of your data columns to the next.  This was typical of older main frame data type.  So for instance, if you may have 30 characters for the street and then the next 20 characters are the City and the next 2 are the state and the final 5 are the zip code.  Then they would put in spaces for the streets and cities that didn’t fill up the character limits.

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In our case, and in most cases today, you will see that the data is not a fixed width, but separated or “Delimited” by certain characters.  So choose the Delimited radio button from the Convert Text to Columns Wizard dialog box and then hit the Next button.





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Some separators are tabs or commas or semicolon or space.  However, it is not always the case, so you can enter any character in the Other field.SNAGHTML1a164fdd

Go ahead and select the Comma and in the Data Preview area of the Convert Text to Columns Wizard dialog box you will see this:SNAGHTML1a18f6e4

Now this doesn’t separate the Zip Code, but we will handle that in the final steps, so don’t worry.

Go ahead now and press the Next button on the Convert Text to Columns Wizard and you will see the 3rd step that lets you set the Data Format for each column of data.  You can now press Finish.

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Your data will now look like this.  It has been separated into columns from B8 to D8.  But what can we do with the state and zip code?  It is still in one column?

image

That is SO easy.

Step 2:  Repeat the Text to Columns process by first selecting cell D8 and then go to your Data Ribbon and choose the Text to Columns button in the Data Tools group.





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Then choose Delimited radio button from the Text to Columns dialog box and press Next button.

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Now select the Space check box as a delimiter and also select the checkbox for the “Treat consecutive delimiters as one” so that you can take care of any double spaces that may proceed the zip code following the state.

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Then press next and then the finish button and your data will now look like this:

image

Step 3:  Now you may notice that we have one extra column, so the easiest step of the bunch would be to select column D and delete it.  This is an extra column that was added when we chose the Space as a delimiter.  No big deal.

Your final data will now look like this:image

I suspect that it may take the average user 30 minutes to write the formulas but it takes less 30 seconds to use the Text to Columns features.  So try and remember it and save yourself countless hours when working with your data.





VIDEO Tutorial:

Here is a video tutorial of using this technique on another set of data that needs to be split into 2 columns where the first column varies.

Please let me know if you have a more efficient way to break up an address from one cell in Excel to multiple cells in multiple columns by leaving a comment.  Also, let me know what you thought about this post in the comments below.  Finally, please let me know what types of content you would like to see on this blog in the comments.  Thanks.

Steve=True





21 COMMENTS

  1. What about when you have multiple addresses in a column with a different number of words in each address? ie – one address might be 123 Main St, another might be 123 Coon Hound Road. Same with cities, some cities (like “St Louis”) have two words rather than one.

    • Hi Matt,

      Is there something that is separating the multiple addresses? Like a Pipe Character | or # or something else?

      If so, follow the steps to first split the multiple addresses up with the text to column functions described in this post. Then move the multiple addresses into separate columns and split the addresses up using text to columns or formulas.

      Steve=True

  2. I have a massive list (over 20,000) containing Companies, addresses, city, state, phone. I need to split these into separate columns under each of what I just described. The catch here is that I do not have commas or separators except for a space. All the companies have a different length of name from what I’ve seen so far is from 1 to 6 words. The addresses are all different as well, some may contain numbers and others will just be the street name or Rt. 601. In the phone number, some of these have () around the area code, some don’t, also some data contains a fax number, which I do not need.

    I will give you some examples here of what I am talking about.

    A & L Machining 9 Don Camp Dr Barre, VT 05641 (802) 476-3393
    DMS 87 Boynton Street Barre VT (802) 479-1088 
    Dessureau Machines, Inc. 53 Granite Street Barre VT (802) 476-4561
    Trow & Holden Company 45 S Main Street Barre VT 802 476-7221

    This needs to be broken down into 5 columns:
    COMPANY ADDRESS CITY STATE PHONE

    These are just some examples from Vermont. I have a total of 19 states and 1000s of cities to cover.

    Thank you!

    Vince

    • Hi Vince,

      Well, you have several problems in this case where it is hard to program. Unfortunately, you do not have clear delimiters. It is very strange that you would have a data set like this (without a delimiter other than a space between the fields.

      1) Some states are after a ‘,’ and some are just a Space after.
      2) Some phone numbers start with a ‘(‘ and some don’t.
      3) There is no delimiter from company to Street.

      You will have to break it up by hand using a combination of formulas and Text-to Column functions.

      Alternately, I would ask your provider to give you the data with a distinct delimiter like the pipe symbol ‘|’ above Enter key.

      Steve=True




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  4. Vince,

    I think I have a solution to your problem. I have emailed Steve=True a copy of my spreadsheet in hopes that he can attach it to the reply.

    Basically I created a table with 4 columns. [Original] which contains the data from your sample, [Name], [Address], and [Phone Number].

    The Name column parses the data with an array formula:
    {=LEFT([@Original],MIN(IFERROR(FIND({1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,0},[@Original]),””))-2)}

    The Address column parses the data with an array formula:
    {=MID([@Original],MIN(IFERROR(FIND({1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,0},[@Original]),””)),FIND(“(“,[@Original])-MIN(IFERROR(FIND({1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,0},[@Original]),””))-1)}

    The Phone Number column parses the data with a normal formula:
    =RIGHT([@Original],LEN([@Original])-FIND(“(“,[@Original])+1)

    I hope that this helps.

    -Pete

  5. How about a group of date which includes no commas…

    San Francisco CA
    Orinda CA
    Salt Lake City UT
    Las Vegas NV

    where the goal is to have
    A B
    San Francisco CA
    Salt Lake City UT

    etc…

    • Hi Paul, is there a hard return between the first San Fran and Orinda? If not, then I don’t know how you can great it up unless there are more than one space or some other delimiter.




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  7. Hi Steve
    I am in need of help!
    I need to separate the address’s below into 3 columns “suburb” “state” & “postcode”. The issue I have is there is no delimiters, commas etc

    Mount Gravatt QLD 4122
    Sheldon QLD 4157

    Because the suburb can have 1 2 or even 3 characters I am having trouble separating this.. How can I do this quickly and efficiently
    Thanks

    • Hi Lauren,

      Note the formulas below the ” quotes may get transformed in a copy / paste, so you should replace those to get it to work in your excel as the Web font translates to a left and right quote vs excel’s standard quote.

      If your data starts in Cell A2

      B2 for Suburb would be:
      =LEFT(A2,SEARCH(CHAR(127),SUBSTITUTE(A2,CHAR(32),CHAR(127),LEN(A2)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(A2,CHAR(32),””))-1))-1)
      Using the Left text function for cell A2 and we are searching for the 2nd to last Space.

      C2 for State would be
      =MID(A2,SEARCH(CHAR(127),SUBSTITUTE(A2,CHAR(32),CHAR(127),LEN(A2)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(A2,CHAR(32),””))-1))+1,SEARCH(CHAR(127),SUBSTITUTE(A2,CHAR(32),CHAR(127),LEN(A2)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(A2,CHAR(32),””))))-SEARCH(CHAR(127),SUBSTITUTE(A2,CHAR(32),CHAR(127),LEN(A2)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(A2,CHAR(32),””))-1)))
      Using the Mid function to search for the last space and also the 2nd to last space to calculate the number of characters.

      D2 for Post Code would be:
      =RIGHT(A2,4)
      As your postal codes are always at the right and are 4 digits.

      Hope this helps.

  8. Hi Steve,

    I want to know how to remove pincode from middle of the address. For Eg

    Ganga, Yatu Complex, Near State Bus Station,-791111 P.O. Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh)

  9. Hi Steve,

    I want to know how to remove pincode from middle of the address. For Eg
    Ganga, Yatu Complex, Near State Bus Station,-791111 P.O. Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh)
    but i want the data without pin code. for eg
    Ganga, Yatu Complex, Near State Bus Station,P.O. Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh)

    • Hi Kavita, is your pincode always presented with at “-” before it? -791111 Also, does your address ever have “-” dash in it in any other place? You can use the mid function to find the right 6 characters after with the “-” as the starting point.

  10. Hi Steve,
    I want to know how to remove pincode from middle of the address. For Eg
    >SHOP NO 1, 2, 3, DLF CROSS POINT, OPPOSITE GALLERIA MARKET.122002 DLF PHASE IV, GURGAON,
    >COLLEGE OUTSIDE AGROHA DHAM MANDIR SIRSA ROAD, AGROHA – 125047,
    >CH. PARAS RAM ARYA COMPLEX, EX PROPERTY NO.267, ADJACENT TO BUS STAND, CHARKHI DADRI – 127306, BHIWANI DIST.,
    but i want the data without pincode. for eg
    >SHOP NO 1, 2, 3, DLF CROSS POINT, OPPOSITE GALLERIA MARKET.DLF PHASE IV, GURGAON,
    >COLLEGE OUTSIDE AGROHA DHAM MANDIR SIRSA ROAD, AGROHA,
    >CH. PARAS RAM ARYA COMPLEX, EX PROPERTY NO.267, ADJACENT TO BUS STAND, CHARKHI DADRI, BHIWANI DIST.,

    • Hi Sidarth, first we need to see if there are some standards to the pin codes. For instance, 2 of your pincodes have a – (dash) before them. The other one is preceeded by a . (period). Is that always the case? If so, then this formula would work on your data if it is in Column A starting in cell A1:

      =IFERROR(LEFT(A1,FIND("– ",A1)-2)&MID(A1,FIND("– ",A1),99),IFERROR(LEFT(A1,FIND(".",A1))&RIGHT(A1,LEN(A1)-FIND(".",A1)-7),"ERROR"))

      NOTE: you should retype the ” quote marks as if you copy/paste this from the website and if it does not work in the spreadsheet as Excel will use a different character.




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  12. Hi,

    I have a rather difficult excel challenge here.. I have a list of Singapore addresses which I need to split them into different column. but the problem is, each of the addresses is written randomly. Here are the examples of what I need to do:

    Column A: Full Address
    Column B: Block/ Building Number (ex: 123; Blk 123)
    Column C: Building Name: (ex: Singapore Centre, United Square Mall, Sunshine Plaza)
    Column D: Street Name (ex: Woodlands Close; Jurong West Ave 1; Lor 4 Toa Payoh)
    Column E: Unit Number (ex: 01-23; #01-23; #01-234; #01-2345, #01-23/34; #01-2345A)
    Column F: Postal Code (always a 6-digital number)

    Example 1:
    A1 = 21 Woodlands Close #04-144A Primz Bizhub Singapore 737854
    Extracting from Cell A1 to:
    B1 = 21
    C1 = Primz Bizhub
    D1 = Woodlands Close
    E1 = #04-144A
    F1 = 737854

    Example 2:
    A2 = Blk 960 #01-164 Jurong West St 92 Singapore 640960
    B2 = Blk 960
    C2 = (empty)
    D2 = Jurong West St 92
    E2 = #01-164
    F2 = 640960

    Appreciate your help on this.

    • Hi there, I don’t know of a way to randomly gather the right data. If there is no standard features, you cannot program a computer to do it without AI connected to a database. You would be able to get the Singapore and numbers after, but the rest is random. Maybe someone else has a better idea. Sorry.

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