Scan for Delimiters: Look for consistent separators within each list item (e.g., commas, hyphens, colons, spaces, or even just consistent spacing).
Standardize (Find & Replace): If delimiters are inconsistent (e.g., some use "-", some use "--"), use Ctrl+H (Find & Replace) to make them uniform. Example: Replace " -- " with " | ".
"Text to Columns": Select your column (e.g., A). Go to Data > Text to Columns (Excel) or Data > Split text brother cell phone list to columns (Google Sheets). Choose your delimiter (e.g., "Comma", "Other" for "|"). Instantly, your single column explodes into multiple, structured columns.
Trim & Clean: Use the TRIM() and CLEAN() functions in new columns to remove excess spaces or hidden characters that can mess up your data.
For Pattern-Based Extraction (The "Smart Fill" / "REGEX" Power-Up):
Action (Flash Fill/Smart Fill - The Easiest):
In the column next to your messy list, manually type the first piece of data you want to extract from the first list item.
Press Enter.
Start typing the second piece of data for the second list item. Your spreadsheet will often "Flash Fill" (Excel) or "Smart Fill" (Google Sheets) the rest of the column for you based on the pattern. It's magic!
Action (REGEXEXTRACT - Google Sheets Specific, Powerful):
If Flash Fill doesn't work, and your data follows more complex patterns (like extracting text between specific words, or specific date formats), learn basic Regular Expressions.
Use the REGEXEXTRACT() function. Example: =REGEXEXTRACT(A1, "Date: (\d{2}/\d{2}/\d{4})") to pull a date like "01/15/2025" from a string "Event Date: 01/15/2025".
Drag the formula down.