Count unique alpha numeric "characters" in a common cell

[WIM4246]

I have a table of customers by row with the orders in one column. Thus a
single cell may contain ordered items represented as "A", "B", "C", etc. or
"1", "2", "3", etc.

So Jill could have an order "B,B" which would represent and order for "two
item B's"
Sue's order is C,1,2,2 - where Sue wants 1 item "C", 1 item "1" and 2 item
"2's".

How can these "items" be tabulated for the total worksheet order to list a
total for all the item "A's", "B's", etc and the items "1's", "2's", etc.

Thanks for any help - for the future we need to see if the worksheet could
be designed to comply with the lab's request to have the order listed in a
single cell and still be able to compile a tabulation for invoicing purposes.

 

[Biff]

Hi!

Assume the order numbers are in col A:

=SUMPRODUCT(--(LEN(A1:A50)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(A1:A50,"A",""))))

In the SUBSTITUTE function, replace "A" with the specific
character that you want to count. Alpha charaters need to
be enclosed in quotes, numbers do not. This is case
sensitive! Better yet, use a cell to hold the character
that you want to count and use that cell reference in the
SUBSTITUTE function.

Biff

 

[WIM4246]

Biff:

THANK YOU!! I and the high school student working with me partime don't
fully understand the formula, but it WORKS!!

If you can offer any explanation about some parts of the formula - we don't
understand inside the first "(" what are the "--" for? AND the minus LEN
statement what is the empty "quotes", "" for? followed by the "))))"

We are going to be searching out what a "LEN" statement is all about -
perhaps that will help us understand. But in the mean time THANK YOU - over
two hours of questionable hand tabulation is being reduced to a a half hour
of formula entry and worksheet arrangement for the final tabulation. THANKS!

Wayne

 

[Frank Kabel]

Hi
see:
http://www.mcgimpsey.com/excel/formulae/doubleneg.html
and
http://www.xldynamic.com/source/xld.SUMPRODUCT.html
for the double minus

The SUBSTITUTE formula part replaces all 'A' characters with 'nothing'
(""). So in total this formula evaluates the number of 'A' in a string
by subtracting the length of the string without 'A's from the original
string length

 

[WIM4246]

FranK - Hi,

Thanks for the explanation - it will take some further study for me to get
completely familar with it. Being pointed in the right direction with some
explanation is a BIG HELP - THANKS!

I'm a professional photographer and just recently photographed a family from
Germany. The wife's parents celebrated 50 yrs of marriage so all the children
with their families came home. My wife from Sweden also has relatives in
Germany - We look forward to visiting - hopefully soon.

Thanks,

Wayne Makeeff
Des Moines, IA - USA