Help with formula

System

This discussion was created from comments split from: Extracting Data From Cell.

Paul Newcome

@Peggy Parchert I like to use a RIGHT function instead of a MID function in these instances. It lets me get rid of that first FIND and just use only the LEN() - FIND() portion.

Also keep in mind… You don't need the IF portion either since the IFERROR will take care of both blanks and text that doesn't contain "POA" (unless you want two separate outputs for blanks vs non-blank without "POA").

Keeping those two points in mind, we can achieve the same thing a little more efficiently with:

=IFERROR(RIGHT([Latest Comment]@row, LEN([Latest Comment]@row) - FIND("POA", [Latest Comment]@row)), "No POA")

And to still have it output a blank if there is no text at all, we can save ourselves a little bit of typing and do this:

=IF([Latest Comment]@row <> "", IFERROR(RIGHT([Latest Comment]@row , LEN([Latest Comment]@row ) - FIND("POA", [Latest Comment]@row )), "No POA"))

Maria Michel

Hello. I have a dilemma. I am trying to copy certain information from one column and populate another column on the same sheet. For example;

Column:

Last Comments Entered;

Tomas was sent to the medical clinic issued limitations of no lifting up to 15 pounds. POA: Follow up on 1-1-2026 with EE after his NOV 1-26-25 @ 10:00 a.m.

I would like the column "POA" to populate everything written from POA: to the end. starting with "POA" in the "Last Comments Entered" column.

Is anyone able to assist with the formula?

Peggy Parchert

Hi @Maria Michel

In your POA column try this formula:

=IFERROR(IF([Latest Comment]@row = "", "", MID([Latest Comment]@row , FIND("POA", [Latest Comment]@row ), LEN([Latest Comment]@row ) - FIND("POA", [Latest Comment]@row ) + 1)), "No POA")

This formula checks the Latest Comment column and:

1. If the comment is blank, it returns nothing.
2. If the comment contains the word "POA", it pulls everything from "POA" to the end of the comment.
3. If "POA" isn’t found in the comment, it returns "No POA".

Hope it helps.

-Peggy

Paul Newcome

@Peggy Parchert I like to use a RIGHT function instead of a MID function in these instances. It lets me get rid of that first FIND and just use only the LEN() - FIND() portion.

Also keep in mind… You don't need the IF portion either since the IFERROR will take care of both blanks and text that doesn't contain "POA" (unless you want two separate outputs for blanks vs non-blank without "POA").

Keeping those two points in mind, we can achieve the same thing a little more efficiently with:

=IFERROR(RIGHT([Latest Comment]@row, LEN([Latest Comment]@row) - FIND("POA", [Latest Comment]@row)), "No POA")

And to still have it output a blank if there is no text at all, we can save ourselves a little bit of typing and do this:

=IF([Latest Comment]@row <> "", IFERROR(RIGHT([Latest Comment]@row , LEN([Latest Comment]@row ) - FIND("POA", [Latest Comment]@row )), "No POA"))

Peggy Parchert

@Paul Newcome — really appreciate the input, and I totally agree. I’m still learning the ins and outs of using these functions in formulas, so your insight is super helpful. Thanks again!

-Peggy

Paul Newcome

@Peggy Parchert Always happy to help. 👍️

Maria Michel

Thank you for the formulas. For some reason they do not work :(. So my column shows the following. Last Comment Entered/NEXT Action when adding comments to SS, we are to add plan of action and

Paul Newcome

@Maria Michel Are you able to provide some screenshots for context and describe in more detail exactly what you are wanting to accomplish?