REGEXMATCH Google Sheets: The Ultimate Guide for 2024

What is the REGEXMATCH function in Google Sheets?

The REGEXMATCH function in Google Sheets allows you to quickly test if the content of a cell includes a specific string or pattern. It returns “TRUE” if the text matches and “FALSE” otherwise.

A regular expression is a pattern or sequence of characters, including symbols, letters, and numbers, that are combined to form a search instruction or formula. It often contains certain special symbols, also known as “metacharacters,” that help recognize specific characters, strings, or patterns in a text string.

Metacharacters are used in the formula to represent either a single character, a sequence of characters, or one of the characters in a set. Here are some examples:

. (point): represents any character

(asterisk): represents zero, one, or more characters

(plus sign): represents one or more characters

[] (brackets): represents a set of characters

The flexibility of this formula makes it a powerful tool for sorting and categorizing large data sets, identifying keywords, and selecting specific records. The REGEXMATCH function is part of Google Sheets’ REGEX function suite, which also includes REGEXEXTRACT and REGEXREPLACE.

Syntax

The syntax of the REGEXMATCH function is as follows:

=regexmatch(text, pattern)

text is the string or value to test whether it matches the test expression. This function allows for easy analysis of large data files, where textual values are compiled in column A of a spreadsheet.

pattern is the test instruction (in the form of a regular expression) used in this Google Sheets function. When this formula is copied to column B next to the text values, it returns either the value “TRUE” or “FALSE,” indicating whether the text matches the pattern or not.

The term “pattern” in the formula may seem intimidating and can discourage novice users, but there are many useful applications once the use of metacharacters is mastered. The pattern serves as a written code instruction using a defined syntax, which controls how text strings should be evaluated.

Practical Applications Examples:

Here are some simple examples illustrating how the REGEXMATCH function can save you time and increase your efficiency:

Identify cells in a range that contain a specific letter, word, or phrase.

Determine if a cell contains any of the words “jolly,” “fine,” or “splendid.”

Identify cells in a range that contain numbers.

Determine if a cell starts with a specific text string.

Determine if a cell ends with a specific text string.

Identify cells that start and end with two specific text strings.

Identify an exact match of a string of characters.

Identify hashtags among social media posts.

Identify email addresses in a spreadsheet.

Use this function to refine filtering criteria in Google Sheets.

Important Reminders:

The function only works with textual inputs. It does not work with numbers. If you want to use numbers as inputs (e.g., phone numbers), you need to first convert them to text using Google Sheets’ TEXT function.

The function is case-sensitive. You will need to specify the correct case within the regular expression or convert the entire input string to uppercase or lowercase using the UPPER or LOWER functions.

Several online tools exist to help you formulate and test regular expressions, as they can be quite tricky.

Crawlan.com is an excellent site to learn more about advanced functions in Google Sheets and improve your spreadsheet skills. Feel free to check it out!

Now that you know the power of the REGEXMATCH function in Google Sheets, you can use it to optimize your work and simplify your sorting and filtering tasks. Experiment with regular expressions and discover how they can save you valuable time!

Remember, practice is key! The more you use the REGEXMATCH function, the more familiar you will become with metacharacters and the more you will be able to leverage its full potential. So dive in and make Google Sheets your best friend for working with data. Good luck!