# Microsoft Office Application Help - Excel Help forum > Excel Formulas & Functions >  >  Multiple search strings using FIND function

## tg000001

Hi there, I am currently using the find function to look for a specific string and then give a response of 1.

=(FIND("Dog", A1, 1))


I am trying to find multiple string i.e. =(FIND (OR("Dog","Cat")),A1,1) , but this is having no luck, is it possible to use such a statement to find multiple strings, find Dog OR Cat if true then cell equals "domestic animal. Also if this is possible are you able to encapsulate multiples of these statements together such as (find Horse OR Cow if true then cell equals "Farm animal") + (find Dog OR Cat if true then cell equals "domestic animal).

A
1 Dog
2 Cat
3 Horse
4 Cow

Any help greatly appreciated.

Thanks

tg000001

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## daddylonglegs

You could use a formula like

=IF(COUNT(SEARCH({"Dog","Cat"},A1)),"Domestic animal",IF(COUNT(SEARCH({"Cow","Horse"},A1)),"Farm Animal",""))

Note: SEARCH is not case-sensitive like FIND. You only require SEARCH or FIND if A1 might contain other text. If it's just going to contain a single animal with no other text then you might be better off with a VLOOKUP formula. List all possible animals in Y1:Y4, e.g. Dog, Cat, Horse, Cow and then the corresponding category for each in Z1:Z4, e.g. Domestic Animal or farm Animal then just use

=VLOOKUP(A1,Y1:Z4,2,0)

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## ExcelKnut

daddylonglegs,

Thanks for taking the time to this question.  The first formula you posted (using COUNT) worked great for what I was trying to do.  It was very helpful.

Jeff

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