How to extract text before / after the second space or comma in Excel?

In Excel, the Text To Columns function may help you to extract each text from one cell into separate cells by space, comma or other delimiters, but, have you ever tried to extract the text before or after the second space or comma from a cell in Excel as following screenshot shown? This article, I will talk about some methods to deal with this task.

doc extract before second space 1

Extract text before the second space or comma with formula

Extract text after the second space or comma with formula

Extract text before the second space or comma with formula

To get the text before the second space, please apply the following formula:

Enter this formula: =IF(ISERROR(FIND(" ",A2,FIND(" ",A2,1)+1)),A2,LEFT(A2,FIND(" ",A2,FIND(" ",A2,1)+1))) into a blank cell where you want to locate the result, C2, for example, and then drag the fill handle down to the cells that you want to contain this formula, and all the text before the second space has been extracted from each cell, see screenshot:

doc extract before second space 2

Note: If you want to extract the text before the second comma or other separators, please just replace the space in the formula with comma or other delimiters as you need. Such as: =IF(ISERROR(FIND(",",A2,FIND(",",A2,1)+1)),A2,LEFT(A2,FIND(",",A2,FIND(",",A2,1)+1))).

Extract text after the second space or comma with formula

To return the text after the second space, the following formula can help you.

Please enter this formula: =MID(A2, FIND(" ", A2, FIND(" ", A2)+1)+1,256) into a blank cell to locate the result, and then drag the fill handle down to the cells to fill this formula, and all the text after the second space has been extracted at once, see screenshot:

doc extract before second space 3

Note: If you want to extract the text after the second comma or other separators, you just need to replace the space with comma or other delimiters in the formula as you need. Such as: =MID(A2, FIND(",", A2, FIND(",", A2)+1)+1,256).

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Bil1770 · 1 months ago
In my scenario There are three “-“ and sometimes one “-“
before second “-“ text should be enter
if in cell only one “-“ it should be blank

e.g As-01-14-32 answers like thisAs-01

e.g As-01 answer Blank cell

what will be farmula?
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  skyyang · 1 months ago
  
  Hello, Bil,
  To solve your problem, please apply the below formula:
  =IFERROR(LEFT(A1,FIND("#",SUBSTITUTE(A1,"-","#",2))-1),"")
  Please try it, thank you!
  
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  Nikhil Jayaswal · 9 days ago
  
  Hi
  I need help if i want to extract anything after first comma and before last comma.
  "Flat 135 Nevendon Road, Sally,Wickford, SS12 0NL"
  
  Column A = Flat 135 Nevendon Road
  Column B = Sally,Wickford
  Columns C = SS12 0NL
  
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  skyyang · 8 days ago
  
  Hello, Jayaswal,
  To solve your porblem, please apply the following formulas:
  First part--Cell B1: =LEFT(A1,FIND(",",A1,1)-1)
  Second part--Cell C1: =MID(A1,FIND(",",A1)+1,LOOKUP(1,0/(MID(A1,ROW(INDIRECT("1:"&LEN(A1))),1)=","),ROW(INDIRECT("1:"&LEN(A1))))-FIND(",",A1)-1)
  Third part--Cell D1: =MID(A1,FIND("=",SUBSTITUTE(A1,",","=",LEN(A1)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(A1,",",""))))+1,256)
  
  Pleasr try, hope it can help you!
  
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  Bil1770 · 1 months ago
  
  It’s working, thanks
  
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  Bil1770 · 1 months ago
  
  One more thing
  after third”-“all text should remain even 1 or 10 otherwise blank
  e.g A-01-12-As answer As
  e.g A-01-12-Asty answer Asty
  e.g A-01 answer blank
  
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  skyyang · 1 months ago
  
  Hi,
  May be the below formula can solve your task, please try:
  =IFERROR(TRIM(MID(A1,FIND("#",SUBSTITUTE(A1,"-","#",3))+1,255)),"")
  
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  Bil1770 · 9 days ago
  
  Fine thanks
  
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Gaby · 3 months ago
How can I extract Text 1 and Text 2 from a string like Text 1_Text 2_Text 3_Text 4
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demo · 1 years ago
how do I do this from right to left. Basically, want to extract last two words.
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  skyyang · 10 months ago
  
  Hi, demo,
  To extract and return the last two words from text strings, please apply the below formula:
  =IF((LEN(A1)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(A1," ","")))<2,A1,RIGHT(A1,LEN(A1)-FIND("/",SUBSTITUTE(A1," ","/",(LEN(A1)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(A1," ",""))-1)))))
  
  Please try, hope it can help you!
  
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Alessandro · 1 years ago
THANK YOU!!!
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Tiki · 1 years ago
Is there a way to extract various pieces of this string? 123ABC.01.02.03.04 ---- for example, to pull the 123ABC, and then in the next column pull 123ABC.01, and then 123ABC.01.02, then 123ABC.01.02.03, and so on.
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archiplanner · 2 years ago
Hi, is there a way, if I want to select text after 3rd comma from the end?
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  skyyang · 2 years ago
  
  Hi, Archi,
  To extract all text after the 3rd comma, please apply this formula:
  =RIGHT(A1,LEN(A1)-FIND("@@@",SUBSTITUTE(A1,",","@@@",3)))
  
  Please try it.
  
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Dave · 2 years ago
=IF(ISERROR(FIND(",",A2,FIND(",",A2,1)+1)),A2,LEFT(A2,FIND(",",A2,FIND(",",A2,1)+1)))
That will return all text left of the second comma plus the second comma. This should be

=IF(ISERROR(FIND(",",A2,FIND(",",A2,1)+1)),A2,LEFT(A2,FIND(",",A2,FIND(",",A2,1)+1)-1))
to omit the second comma

1. Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State
2. Derrius Guice, RB, LSU
3. Sony Michel, RB, Georgia
4. Ronald Jones II, RB, USC
5. Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia

Bad:
1. Saquon Barkley, RB,
2. Derrius Guice, RB,
3. Sony Michel, RB,
4. Ronald Jones II, RB,

Better:
1. Saquon Barkley, RB
2. Derrius Guice, RB
3. Sony Michel, RB
4. Ronald Jones II, RB
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  Ron · 1 years ago
  
  But this won't work if the text string does NOT always have a second comma...
  
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Rodney · 2 years ago
How would you change this to the 3rd comma? Instead of the 2nd?
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  skyyang · 2 years ago
  
  Hello,Rodney,
  To extract the text before the 3rd space, please apply this formula:
  =IF(ISERROR(FIND(" ",A2,FIND(" ",A2,FIND(" ",A2,1)+1) +1)),A2,LEFT(A2,FIND(" ",A2,FIND(" ",A2,FIND(" ",A2,1)+1) + 1)));
  To extract the text after the 3rd space, please use this formula:
  =MID(A2, FIND(" ", A2,FIND(" ", A2, FIND(" ", A2)+1) +1)+1,30000)
  Please try it, hope it can help you!
  Thanks!
  
  Reply
  
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  Tushar · 6 months ago
  
  Thank you! This was tremendously helpful
  
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Guni · 3 years ago
Hi, this formula will be ideal for but instead of removing text after second space i want remove everything after 3rd i have been trying insert 3rd FIND(" ",A2 i understand that the formula itself is =FIND(" ",X13,1). can you please help me out. I am not good with nesting the formulas.

Thank you very much.
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  Ritu Garg · 17 days ago
  
  Hi I am looking for a solution to extract from the below Text , all the text after the second set of digits for example:
  
  XY limited - UAN#24675 Materials per P/O#75176 Anticon & Sarking and i need only " Anticon & Sarking.
  
  Reply