Phone number format - excel

Question

I have a table field 'Phone number', the data in table is imported through a excel file link in database. The data type of the field is text since we are not sure how user enters his phone number(sometime with country code and sometime without country code).
I want to format the 'phone number' field once the table is updated everytime or data is imported into table. Format [countrycode]-[localcode]-[phone num].
I am not sure how to go about it, whether to create an update query or VBA code to update this field. Will appriciate any help in this regards.

Answer 1

It is generally recommended that in database fields, the phone number is maintained in numerical format only (meaning no parenthesis, dashes, or whatnot) because it provides more stability for the data and allows for better/easier future formatting when outputting. The most recommended method is to take the number given to you and strip it of all non-numeric characters and then store that value.
If you are working with an excel sheet containing this information before it is put into the database, then you can simply format the column that contains the phone numbers to convert everything into a single numerical value so 800-555-1212 or [phone] would just become 8005551212 and 8882221515. This can be done using the existing cell formatting option built into Excel or if you want it done on the fly a simple VBA code that triggers when the field has a value would do the trick too.
EDIT #1 (super simple function)
Public Function numOnly(sToClean As String) As String
Const NUM_CHARS = "0123456789"
Dim lChar As Long
Dim sResult As String
For lChar = 1 To Len(sToClean)
If InStr(1, NUM_CHARS, Mid$(sToClean, lChar, 1)) > 0 Then
'Found a numeric character
sResult = sResult + Mid$(sToClean, lChar, 1)
End If
Next
'Return the result
numOnly = sResult
End Function
EDIT #2 (more feature advanced version)
Option Explicit
Public Function stripChars(CheckStr As String, Optional KillNums As Boolean = False, Optional AllowedChars As String, Optional NotAllowed As String)
' CheckStr = the string being evaluated
' KillNums [True/False] = remove numbers/remove non-numeric
' AllowedChars = what to allow even if you are removing non-numeric (aka KillNums=False) [ex. "$,."] or removing numbers (aka KillNums=True) [ex. "6,9"]
' NotAllowed = override characters never allowed and processed before any other option (meaning if you have it in both allow/not allow - not allow takes precedence
' NOTE: AllowedChars and NotAllowed arguments are *not* case-sensitive
Dim Counter As Long
Dim TestChar As String
Dim TestAsc As Long
' Loop through characters
For Counter = 1 To Len(CheckStr)
' Get current character and its ANSI number
TestChar = Mid(CheckStr, Counter, 1)
TestAsc = Asc(TestChar)
' Test first to see if current character is never allowed
If InStr(1, NotAllowed, TestChar, vbTextCompare) > 0 Then
' do nothing
' If current character is in AllowedChars, keep it
ElseIf InStr(1, AllowedChars, TestChar, vbTextCompare) > 0 Then
stripChars = stripChars & TestChar
' If KillNums=True, test for not being in numeric range for ANSI
ElseIf KillNums Then 'only allow non-numbers
If TestAsc < 48 Or TestAsc > 57 Then
stripChars = stripChars & TestChar
End If
' If KillNums=False, test for being in numeric ANSI range
Else 'only allow numbers
If TestAsc >= 48 And TestAsc <= 57 Then
stripChars = stripChars & TestChar
End If
End If
Next
End Function
You can drop either of these in your Excel's module (Alt+F11) or in your Access forms or what not, good luck.