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Hi Cindy, You can *almost* use text to column to split the fields out from the string. Then you take the max() of the resulting range. *Except* there's a max of 256 columns. So you'll need to split the string into parts, perhaps into separate worksheets. Then do the text to columns in worksheet and put the max of that work sheet at the end. Then in a final worksheet, take the max of each max column in each worksheet. Unfortunately, there is no text to rows function, but you can roll your own following this scheme( http://www.excelforum.com/excel-formulas-and-functions/401500-how-do-you-convert-text-to-rows.html ). Either scheme would work.... Just had another idea: 1st open your data in Word, the convert the field delimiters to returns. Save it as plain text. Import it into Excel and you'll have all the data in one row. At the bottom of the row, you take the max of the row. God's Love, Brad --------------------------- www.maf.org/rhoads www.ontherhoads.org On Tue, Jul 2, 2013 at 9:02 AM, Harper, Cynthia <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Is there a way to return (in Excel, if possible) the largest 4-digit > number (by word boundaries) in a string? I've extracted the 863 fields > from Millennium for my active periodicals, and want to find the latest year > in each run. I'm willing to estimate it by taking the largest 4-digit > number in the string. I'm doing this in Excel. Any help? > > Cindy Harper > Electronic Services and Serials Librarian > Virginia Theological Seminary > 3737 Seminary Road > Alexandria VA 22304 > 703-461-1794 > [log in to unmask] >