how to divide data in excel - excel

Question

There is an excel issue where we have one column with values like below and we want the respective values to go into corresponding new columns like allocation, primary purpose etc.
data is like
Allocation: Randomized|Endpoint Classification: Safety/Efficacy Study|Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment|Masking: Double Blind (Subject, Caregiver)|Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized|Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized|Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment|Masking: Open Label|Primary Purpose: Treatment
There are many such rows like this.

Answer 1

First use text to columns to split data using | delimiter.
Assuming data layout as in screenshot:
Add the following in A6 and drag across/down as required:
=IFERROR(MID(INDEX(1:1,0,(MATCH("*"&A$5&"*",1:1,0))),FIND(":",INDEX(1:1,0,(MATCH("*"&A$5&"*",1:1,0))),1)+2,1000),"")
It uses the MATCH/INDEX function to get the text of cell containing the heading, then uses MID/FIND function to get the text after the :. The whole formula is then enclosed in IFERROR so that if certain rows do not contain a particular header item, it returns a blank instead of #N/A's

Answer 2

You did not ask for a VBA solution, but here is one anyway.
Determine the column headers by examining each line and generate a unique list of the headers, storing it in a dictionary
You can add a routine to sort or order the headers
Create a "results" array and write the headers to the first row, using the dictionary to store the column number for later lookup
examine each line again and pull out the value associated with each column header, populating the correct slot in the results array.
write the results array to a "Results" worksheet.
In the code below, you may need to rename the worksheet where the source data resides. The Results worksheet will be added if it does not already exist -- feel free to rename it.
Test this on a copy of your data first, just in case.
Be sure to set the reference to Microsoft Scripting Runtime (Tools --> References) as indicated in the notes in the code.
Option Explicit
'Set References
' Microsoft Scripting Runtime
Sub MakeColumns()
Dim vSrc As Variant, vRes As Variant
Dim wsSrc As Worksheet, wsRes As Worksheet, rRes As Range
Dim dHdrs As Dictionary
Dim V As Variant, W As Variant
Dim I As Long, J As Long
Set wsSrc = Worksheets("Sheet1")
'Get source data
With wsSrc
vSrc = .Range(.Cells(1, 1), .Cells(.Rows.Count, 1).End(xlUp))
End With
'Set results sheet and range
On Error Resume Next
Set wsRes = Worksheets("Results")
If Err.Number = 9 Then
Worksheets.Add.Name = "Results"
End If
On Error GoTo 0
Set wsRes = Worksheets("Results")
Set rRes = wsRes.Cells(1, 1)
'Get list of headers
Set dHdrs = New Dictionary
dHdrs.CompareMode = TextCompare
'Split each line on "|" and then ":" to get header/value pairs
For I = 1 To UBound(vSrc, 1)
V = Split(vSrc(I, 1), "|")
For J = 0 To UBound(V)
W = Split(V(J), ":") 'W(0) will be header
If Not dHdrs.Exists(W(0)) Then _
dHdrs.Add W(0), W(0)
Next J
Next I
'Create results array
ReDim vRes(0 To UBound(vSrc, 1), 1 To dHdrs.Count)
'Populate Headers and determine column number for lookup when populating
'Could sort or order first if desired
J = 0
For Each V In dHdrs
J = J + 1
vRes(0, J) = V
dHdrs(V) = J 'column number
Next V
'Populate the data
For I = 1 To UBound(vSrc, 1)
V = Split(vSrc(I, 1), "|")
For J = 0 To UBound(V)
'W(0) is the header
'The dictionary will have the column number
'W(1) is the value
W = Split(V(J), ":")
vRes(I, dHdrs(W(0))) = W(1)
Next J
Next I
'Write the results
Set rRes = rRes.Resize(UBound(vRes, 1) + 1, UBound(vRes, 2))
With rRes
.EntireColumn.Clear
.Value = vRes
With .Rows(1)
.Font.Bold = True
.HorizontalAlignment = xlCenter
End With
.EntireColumn.AutoFit
End With
End Sub
If you have not used macros before, to enter this Macro (Sub), alt-F11 opens the Visual Basic Editor.
Ensure your project is highlighted in the Project Explorer window.
Then, from the top menu, select Insert/Module and
paste the code below into the window that opens.
To use this Macro (Sub), opens the macro dialog box. Select the macro by name, and RUN.