EXACT Function in Excel

Syntax

Compulsory Parameter:

  • text1: It is the first string that we wish to compare.text2:  It is the second text string.

How to Use the EXACT Function in Excel? (Examples)

Example #1

In the first example, we compare the two strings in column text 1 and text 2 and apply the EXACT formula in the output column as shown in the function column. The output will be as shown in the below table. The EXACT function returns the “TRUE” where text 1 and text 2 are the same and “FALSE” where text 1 and text 2 values are not the same.

Example #2

Suppose we wish that users of our worksheet insert data in the PROPER case in the “Proper text only” column. So we can achieve it by using a custom formula based on the EXACT formula and other functions.

Let us consider the below table, and we have to apply the restriction in the Proper text, the only column in the below table.

First, we must select the C18 cell, click on “Data Validation” under the “Data” tab and choose Data ValidationData ValidationThe data validation in excel helps control the kind of input entered by a user in the worksheet.read more. Change the validation criteria to custom and input the EXACT formula =AND(EXACT(D18,PROPER(D18)),ISTEXT(D18)).

 Now, if we type a NON PROPER word in the “Proper text only” column, it will show us an error message as follows:

Example #3

The EXACT function is very useful when you have case-sensitive data.

In this example, we take a set of products where the case-sensitive products are available in the list.

There are four products of soft toys, two being in lowercase and others in uppercase. Here, we are looking for numeric values. SUMPRODUCT + EXACT is an exciting and flexible way to do a case-sensitive LOOKUP. We can use the EXACT Excel formula, as shown below:

=SUMPRODUCT(–(EXACT(G14,G3:G12)),H3:H12).

The output is: 300

EXACT Function in Excel used as a VBA function.

In VBA, we can compare two strings using the strcomp functionStrcomp FunctionVBA StrComp is a built-in function that determines whether two string values are the same or not. However, unlike in a worksheet, the results are not defaulted to TRUE or FALSE.read more; here is the example as follows:

Sub usefunction()

Dim Lresult as string  // declares the lresult as a string.

Lresult = StrComp (“Tanuj”, “tanuj”)

MsgBox(Lresult)  //Output will show in MsgBox

End sub”

The output will be 0 as String Tanuj and tanuj are not exactly matched.

This article has been a guide to the EXACT function in Excel. Here, we discuss the EXACT formula in Excel and how to use it, along with an Excel example and a downloadable template. You may also look at these useful functions in Excel: –

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