Using a formula to return the other parts of a number

[bearcub]

I have to reconcile visits from two different reports. I in report, I have a patient number which contains 7 characters and another report than contains these same 7 characters plus some additional characters.

for example, in the monthly report I would get a patient number like 502-501 but the master file contains 502-501-606.

I would like to see if the data for 502-501 is contained in the 502-501-606 record (I'm trying to see if this was previously paid). I was using the lookup function where the lookup value was 502-501 and I was looking for this value in the master file but I wanted to return 502-501-606 in a helper column. However, the I got an error message.

Is their a formula in excel that will find partial values in one cell that match the partial values in another cell?

I was afraid I was doing something wrong.

With the Index and Match combination work instead?

Thank you for your help,

Michael

 

[Marcílio_Lobão]

Michael, Good evening.

You can use wildcard * to do the search.

Suppose:

Montly report -->
A1 --> =502-501
B1 --> helper column

Master File
A1:A1000 --> Patient Number

Try to use:

Montly report -->
B1 --> helper column
B1 --> =VLOOKUP(A1 & "*", 'Master File'!$A$1:$A$1000, 1, False)

Adapt the references to your reality.

Is that what you want?
I hope it helps.

 

[bearcub]

Yes, it was, thank you. I forgot to thank you initially for the help.