recommendations for using RegEx or RegEx-like features to find/replace confidential information (SSN, tel numbers, emails, names [no specific format]) *without* using a VBA macro?
I’ve gone through all of the obvious workarounds (e.g., I can use the *(at)*.com syntax for email addresses and (???) ???-???? for tel numbers that are formatted as such in my data), but need something a bit more formulaic.
If macro/add-in is my only solution, any recommendations for something that is open-source? thx

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I’ve never done regex myself in Excel because other options have been simpler, but you should also have Power Query as an option. From quick google search, looks like there are “clever” solutions out there, but that’s not super satisfying to me.

Otherwise, I highly recommend you look at Google Sheets IF that’s an option. People sh!t on Google sheets but it was many awesome uses, like this one, which it has native REGEX functions built for.

If security is an issue and you can’t use a Google environment, I’d always throw Python / R out there as an option.

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Are you using excel sheets or a csv? If it’s a csv you can use pretty much any scripting language. If it’s excel I think pandas can load em if you install the extras.

And unless this is a one off thing or some personal project your company should be using a DLP solution

Thanks. What’s DLP? It’s not a one-off nor something that’s needed with any regularity — tends to come up 2-3x/year, max.

Thanks. This is a very unique situation — attorney/law firm handling sensitive data for clients, some of whom themselves are in possession of sensitive data that they need to protect while also complying with obligations to disclose information to adverse parties in litigation/govt investigations.

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