How to pull order ids and product codes from messy excel text columns with regex
- Step 1Identify the pattern in your text column — Look for a consistent format in the IDs — e.g. ORD-\d{4}-\d{5} or [A-Z]{2}-\d{4}-[A-Z]{3}.
- Step 2Enter the regex pattern — Wrap the code portion in a capture group: (ORD-\d{4}-\d{5}). Enter source and output column names.
- Step 3Download the extracted data — A new column contains the clean extracted codes. Cells without a match are left empty.
Frequently asked questions
How do I write a regex to extract an order ID like ORD-2024-00193?+
Pattern: (ORD-\d{4}-\d{5}). The parentheses form the capture group that extracts just the ID.
Can I test my regex before applying it to the whole column?+
Use regex101.com to test your pattern against sample cell values before running the tool.
What if the format of the ID varies (some have dashes, some don't)?+
Use an alternation in your regex: (ORD[-]?\d{4}[-]?\d{5}) to match both forms.
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