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Extract four digit number from cell (i.e. year from citekey)

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M_W
4 - Data Explorer
4 - Data Explorer

Hi, for my academic research database I’m trying to write a formula that will automatically extract a four-digit number from a cell (i.e. extracting year from a citekey).

For example (Citekey --> Year),
Downs1965NonmarketDecisionMaking --> 1965
Welborn1968BureaucracyAnthonyDowns --> 1968

Any ideas on how I might be able to do this? Thanks.

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Accepted Solutions

If you have periods, then use this formula:

VALUE(SUBSTITUTE(Citekey,".",""))

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3 Replies 3

Welcome to the community, @M_W!

If those are the ONLY numeric digits within your entire text string, then you could do it with this formula:

VALUE(Citekey)

Hope this helps! If this answers your question, could you please mark this comment as the solution to your question? This will help other people who have a similar question. :slightly_smiling_face:

Thanks Scott!

It works perfectly well except for cells with a period (see screenshot below). Is there a way to make the value() formula work?

Screen Shot 2020-09-01 at 5.53.35 pm

If you have periods, then use this formula:

VALUE(SUBSTITUTE(Citekey,".",""))