Database features generally let you have different ways to look at your information. This could be looking at different arrangements, subsets of the whole, or just a single entry. The FIND command lets you quickly locate instances of text you enter anywhere in your Excel table.
One of the easiest ways to lookup something in a cell in your spreadsheet is to use the Find command. You may access this command from the Menu with Edit + Find or if you are into using the Keyboard Shortcuts, CNTL + F.
The Find Panel pops up letting you enter some text. In this case, we have entered the letters "Ji". If you look at the list of names on the left you should be able to find the first instance of the letters J + i in the list of names. When you have completed the entry in the Find What field, click on the Find Next button.
Note the active cell is Cell A2 which contains the letters Ji. Look carefully at the list of names and predict which cell will be the active cell when the Find Next button is clicked.
The active cell changes to Cell A6 which is the next occurance of the letters J+i. You may continue moving through your database finding all instances of the two letters J + i.
There
is a choice to check the Match case square. This is referring to matching
by upper case and lower case. If Match case is checked,
then "Jim" is not the same as "jim" and if you entered
"ji" as a find criteria, you would not find Jim or Jill. Without
Match case checked, you would find the same cells using "Ji",
"JI", or "ji".
You might not there is a Replace button under the Find Next and Close buttons. Not only can you find instances of text, you have powerful replacement options at your discretion.
You
may choose either the Replace or Replace All by clicking on the button of
choice.
Logically, you would enter on the Replace with line the text that should replace the text on the Find What field. A note of caution here....when you choose Replace All, you may have unexpected replacements happen.
Suppose you wish to change all of the dates in a spreadsheet from 2000 to 2003. What do you think will happen to a cell containing a value like 320005? It will be changed to 320035! Be careful in using the replace features.