Finding cells staring with a specific value from a range

what do you mean by "extract"; are you trying to hide cells that don't start with those characters as in a filter search, or copy those cells somewhere else in the workbook?

for a filter, entering eg ab* should return all cells begining with "ab"

I need to create a query to from the larger table.

I'm trying to get the file small enough to upload

MultipleLookup.xls

Here is the file with some information

hi evertjvr, sort of that

That works pefect.

You guys are really making me look bad.

Thanks a lot.

Hi there again.

This is just an update.

Yes what I said before still stand, the array formula works but I changed the idea and to me I feel this works better.

I import the date one row at a time and this is why it is better for me.

1. The data is imported as values - No formulas that can get damaged and values are more useful (Copy, paste)

2. The values can be sorted as you need to.

3. Working with non-unique values like surnames the query list is more acurate

4. The range or the displayed query is more flexible

5. The data source can be from multiple sheets and books.

Here is the file. Have fun

I know this can be improved and altered in may ways but you can do that yourself.

Multiple Lookup.xlsm