Search multiple excel files containing something in the same cell

**flacky2000** · 03-07-2011, 11:05 AM

Hi everyone.

I use a simple excel spreadsheet to record our orders which we then save out as individual files. I need to somehow search through the files (hopefully not manually as we have thousands) and look for ones that contain certain parts of a post code for instance RH or ME or TN. The post code is always recorded in the same cell so I wondered if there is a way of looking through all the files in the same cell for whatever post code I choose?
I'm not sure if this is possible but hopefully it is and any help is very much appreciated as always.

**JBeaucaire** · 03-07-2011, 12:15 PM

1) Searching through all the files in a folder is possible, simple even
2) What is to be done?

**flacky2000** · 03-07-2011, 12:23 PM

What more info. do you need. I know I can search within a file for words etc by using the windows search but this is across the whole file and I wondered if I can specify a particular cell?

**JBeaucaire** · 03-07-2011, 12:45 PM

You've asked a non-specific question:

Q: "Can I check one cell in a bunch of files?"
A: "Yes."

To go any further you have to specify everything as if you were explaining in 100% detail. Describe your needed process from start to finish.

Including a sample "source" file or two might be helpful, but we definitely need a complete explanation / example of what the end result is supposed to be.

Click GO ADVANCED and use the paperclip icon to post up a desensitized copy of your workbooks.

**flacky2000** · 03-07-2011, 01:12 PM

Template.xlsx

OK fair enough, my apologies.
I have attached a file which is the template that we use for our orders, cell A13 will always contain the customers postcode.
We have approximately 3000 orders in a folders and I want to know if it is possible to search these files for part of the postcode (RH, BN, TN, SW, SE etc) so I can find orders that are placed within ceratain post codes.
For example if I want to find everyone that ordered from us within the RH postal code I could find them by looking for all files containing the letters RH in cell A13.

I hope this covers what i'm trying to achieve as i'm not too sure what else I can say.

Thanks for your time

**JBeaucaire** · 03-07-2011, 06:30 PM

HEH, you keep missing my main question, so I ask again... "and then what?"

I asked for a sample RESULTS sheet. What are you wanting to see?? Please answer in detail, or post a mockup showing what you'd like to see from all the found files with post code *RH*, *BN*, etc.