Remove text, keep the numbers in Numbers

Here's an example that would work for the sample value in your first post, seen in row 2. It depends on a key available in that example:

Note particularly the examples in the last three rows.

B5 uses a dash to separate the 'number part' from the 'letter part' This one would be quite difficult to get right, as it also uses the same character to separate sections of the 'number' part, which should be retained.

B6 contains a character that is not a number or a dash within what appears to be the 'number' part to be retained.

B7 is an empty cell, which returns an error. This is relatively easy to avoid if that needs to be done.

The formula entered in C2 and filled down to the end of column C is this:

C2: LEFT(B2,FIND(" ",B2)−1)

Regards,

Barry

[EDIT]: replaced example with one exhibiting more variety of possible 'numbers'

B.

As far as Numbers is concerned, that whole string is 'text'. As soon as you include any text (' aaa') in a string of characters, it cseases being a 'umber' and becomes a text value.

The firsr part of your example, '102030-09' could be read by Numbers as a subtraction expression involving two numbers, and resulting in the number 102021, or as a text string, keeping all nine characters.

Do all of your strings have the same pattern?

Some possible patterns exhibited by the single example are

• 'six digits, dash, two digits, space, three letters"
• 'some digits, dash, some digits, space, three letters"
• 'nine characters-all digits or all but one digits, space, three letters'
• 'some characters, space, three letters'
• 'six digits, dash, two digits, space, some letters"
• 'some digits, dash, some digits, space, some letters"
• 'nine characters-all digits or all but one digits, space, some letters'
• 'some characters, space, some letters'

All can be handled, providing there is a single describable pattern to be found. (Each of the descriptions above applies to a 'describable pattern,' but combinations requiring more than one of those patterns do not fit that description.

Can you provide further examples that would help establish such a pattern?

Regards,

Barry

Your first example shows a space between the 'number' part and the text part. Is this space always present? Is there ever a space within the 'number' part?

Is there ever a non-numeric character other than the dash in the number part?

This isn't Twitter. You do not need to limit your post to 140 (or 280) characters. Include enough information to determine a 'hook' that can serve to separate the letters from the numbers.

Regards,

Barry

You're welcome. Please remember to provide more information with your next question. It saves time and confusion when w don't have to guess what is missing.

Regards,

Barry