Excel help

[Slateman]

So, I have one of my rosters set up to show social security numbers.

Is there a way to X out the first five numbers?

So, 123-45-6789 becomes xxx-xx-6789

Now, I don't want to create a new column. I just want the first five numbers to either be deleted, or become Xs. Can this even be done?

[Brad89]

So, I have one of my rosters set up to show social security numbers.

Is there a way to X out the first five numbers?

So, 123-45-6789 becomes xxx-xx-6789

Now, I don't want to create a new column. I just want the first five numbers to either be deleted, or become Xs. Can this even be done?

I'd say you have to do in and do it individually for each number. Just copy "xxx-xx-" and paste it in each cell right before the final 4 numbers.

[Corcaigh]

I don't think so. You could always hold the first five digits in one column and hide that.

If you needed to produce the whole SSN it would be easy to create it from the two cells.

[The 12th Commandment]

Do find and replace with ???-?? replace with XXX-XX

Added: I gotta laugh because even Microsoft help is useful. On occasion.

[skinfan2k]

run a macro to replace the first five digits.

[Corcaigh]

Do find and replace with ???-?? replace with XXX-XX

I miss-read the OP. If you are happy deleting the data then this works.

[Slateman]

I miss-read the OP. If you are happy deleting the data then this works.

No, it doesn't. It says that "Microsoft Office Excel cannot find a match"

[Corcaigh]

No, it doesn't. It says that "Microsoft Office Excel cannot find a match"

It works for me. Are you sure the '-' characters are the same?

[skinfan2k]

Corcaigh its easier when the characters are the same, but he actually has different digits

[skinfan2k]

You can also split columns based on characters and then replace that column with the XXX and then recombine the columns

[The 12th Commandment]

???-?? will replace anything with three a hyphen and then two. It'll leave the last -1234. I'm using office 2000

[Forehead]

I believe there is some sort of masking command you can use, but I'm not sure.

[Corcaigh]

Corcaigh its easier when the characters are the same, but he actually has different digits

If the format is aaa-bb-cccc then Replace works fine.

[Slateman]

If the format is aaa-bb-cccc then Replace works fine.

I don't. Its like a thousand different social security numbers.

[The 12th Commandment]

What version of office do you have?

I even tried it with a list of different made up socials and it worked fine.

[Corcaigh]

I don't. Its like a thousand different social security numbers.

Are you using the actual question mark characters? It works in Office 2003 too. i.e

[skinfan2k]

Your right, Coraight it even works in office 2007

[The 12th Commandment]

What am I? Chopped liver?

[Mufumonk]

If the above suggestions (???-??-) don't work you can always parse the last 4 characters into a separate field (Data|Text to Columns|Fixed Width).