How To Convert State Names To Abbreviations In Excel

Convert State Names to Abbreviations in Excel

Using VLOOKUP Function

To convert U.S. full state names to their corresponding two-letter abbreviations in Excel, use the VLOOKUP function. First, ensure you have a table named "states" with two columns: the full state name and the 2-letter abbreviation. The full name should be in the first column. Use the formula =VLOOKUP(name,states,2,0) where "name" is the cell containing the full state name. This formula looks up the full state name in the "states" table and returns the matching abbreviation.

VLOOKUP Formula Example

For example, if you have the full state name in cell C5, use the formula =VLOOKUP(C5,states,2,0) to get the corresponding abbreviation. This VLOOKUP function will convert the full state name from cell C5 into its 2-letter code by referencing the "states" table.

Alternate Method: INDEX and MATCH

If you need a more flexible two-way lookup, use INDEX and MATCH instead of VLOOKUP. The formula =INDEX(INDEX(states,0,1),MATCH(A1,INDEX(states,0,2),0)) allows you to find the full state name when you start with a state abbreviation. By supplying zero for the row argument of INDEX, you can return the whole column, and supplying zero for the column argument will return the entire row.

Additional VLOOKUP Uses

Aside from state names, VLOOKUP can also map numeric error codes to human-readable names and convert various other types of values within Excel.

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