How to Categorize or Tag a Text Column in Excel with AI
Excel has no function that reads meaning, so turning a column of free text into tidy categories usually means brittle formulas or a keyword table that misses half the cases. Here's the one-click way to classify a column into the labels you define — using your own AI key, without pasting your data into a website.
Last updated: August 2026
| Customer feedback | Category (new column) | |
|---|---|---|
| The app keeps crashing on launch | → | Bug |
| Please add a dark mode | → | Feature request |
| Support was super helpful, thanks! | → | Praise |
Why Excel makes this hard
There is no Excel function that reads what a sentence means. To classify free text you're left stacking nested IF(SEARCH(...)) formulas, or building a keyword lookup table — and both break the moment the wording changes. "Won't load", "crashes", and "freezes on startup" are all bugs, but a keyword match for "crash" catches only one of them. Sentiment ("thanks, that was easy" vs "thanks for nothing") and intent ("just browsing" vs "ready to buy") depend on tone and context that string matching simply can't see. That needs a model, not a formula.
The 1-click way — Tellsheet's AI Categorize
Select the column and run AI Categorize. Type your categories comma-separated — Billing, Bug, Feature, or Positive, Neutral, Negative, or Hot, Warm, Cold — and it tags every cell using your own Anthropic API key. Each result is snapped back to one of your labels (or "Other") so the column stays clean and filterable — no stray free-text answers. Only the selected text is sent, there's no Tellsheet backend, and nothing is stored. The tag lands in a new column beside the source. Pairs with Group & Summarize (categorize, then summarize by category) and AI Smart Fill.
Frequently asked questions
Can a formula categorize text?
Only crudely — nested IF/SEARCH and keyword tables miss synonyms, tone, and intent. AI Categorize reads meaning and snaps each cell to your labels.
Do I choose the categories?
Yes — type your own labels comma-separated. Anything that fits none becomes "Other" so the column stays filterable.
Where does my data go?
Only the selected text, only to Anthropic under your own key. No backend, nothing stored.
Does it keep the original text?
Yes — the tag is written to a new column beside the source, and blank cells pass through unchanged.
Related Excel guides
Tag a column in one click
AI Categorize classifies a text column into the labels you define with your own AI key — every result snapped to your categories — and keeps the original beside it.
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