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Is there any way to calculate the % difference between two strings in Excel? For example, oftentimes a customer sends us a list of items that they want us to match with items in our system based on description and item SKU #. However, matching by SKU does not always return an accurate result, especially if it is short and not unique. If there was a more efficient way of doing this than manually searching & matching, it would greatly increase the efficiency of my job.

Optimally, the function would return a number... higher the number, better the possibility of a match. To be clear, both comparison cells are defined, and both exist in the same row. This would not be a Fuzzy Lookup (already have that add-in).

Possible?

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  • Given that the customer may not use precisely the same terms, capitalization, word order, etc., can you describe how this is different from fuzzy logic? It seems like you would need to create "dictionaries" and search for variations of multiple terms.
    – fixer1234
    Jan 20, 2015 at 0:20
  • It is fuzzy logic, but fuzzy lookup is not the solution unless I'm unaware of how to use it properly. Jan 20, 2015 at 1:21
  • @FurryWombat - there are a few tricks and limitations to it, but it can be a very useful tool. What's your issue with it?
    – Mike Honey
    Jan 20, 2015 at 3:09
  • How would you like to calculate the % difference between two strings?
    – CallumDA
    Jan 20, 2015 at 11:33
  • @MikeHoney I've been using Fuzzy Lookup like a vlookup, less than perfect match, but more perfect than Excel defines by default... is there a way to use Fuzzy Lookup to calculate the difference between two specifically defined strings, rather than two columns? My intent is to perform the calculation, then sort the rows by greatest to least similarity, in an effort to support the the act of eyeballing 400-500 records at a shot. Jan 20, 2015 at 13:40

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AFAIK Fuzzy Lookup only works on columns. I would add a new column using a formula for your "specifically defined strings".

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  • Answers should be definitive solutions to the problem. Helpful hints should be comments, which this already was. This really isn't answer material. Please consider deleting it. I won't downvote, but there are trigger-happy downvoters who might, and that would eat into your rep.
    – fixer1234
    Jan 22, 2015 at 23:25

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