How to create a GUID in Excel?

ExcelGuid

Excel Problem Overview

I need a function to add a GUID to cells in excel. I found this previous question on stackoverflow, but it is not working. It suggests the following function:

=CONCATENATE(DEC2HEX(RANDBETWEEN(0,4294967295),8),"-",DEC2HEX(RANDBETWEEN(0,6553‌​5),4),"-"
    ,DEC2HEX(RANDBETWEEN(16384,20479),4),"-",DEC2HEX(RANDBETWEEN(32768,49151‌​),4),"-"
    ,DEC2HEX(RANDBETWEEN(0,65535),4),DEC2HEX(RANDBETWEEN(0,4294967295),8))

I have been unable to get the concatenate method to work, and so tried it using the "&" figure to concatenate anyway. That seemed to work, but then I get an inexplicable error on the second DEX2HEX block: DEC2HEX(RANDBETWEEN(0,6553‌​5),4). The Excel formula evaluator says it's invalid, but I can't seem to figure out why at all. Any ideas?

Excel Solutions

Solution 1 - Excel

As of modern version of Excel, there's the syntax with commas, not semicolons. I'm posting this answer for convenience of others so they don't have to replace the strings- We're all lazy... hrmp... human, right?

> =CONCATENATE(DEC2HEX(RANDBETWEEN(0,4294967295),8),"-",DEC2HEX(RANDBETWEEN(0,65535),4),"-",DEC2HEX(RANDBETWEEN(0,65535),4),"-",DEC2HEX(RANDBETWEEN(0,65535),4),"-",DEC2HEX(RANDBETWEEN(0,4294967295),8),DEC2HEX(RANDBETWEEN(0,65535),4))

Or, if you like me dislike when a guid screams and shouts and you, we can go lower-cased like this.

> =LOWER(CONCATENATE(DEC2HEX(RANDBETWEEN(0,4294967295),8),"-",DEC2HEX(RANDBETWEEN(0,65535),4),"-",DEC2HEX(RANDBETWEEN(0,65535),4),"-",DEC2HEX(RANDBETWEEN(0,65535),4),"-",DEC2HEX(RANDBETWEEN(0,4294967295),8),DEC2HEX(RANDBETWEEN(0,65535),4)))

Solution 2 - Excel

I am using the following function in v.2013 excel vba macro code

Public Function GetGUID() As String 
    GetGUID = Mid$(CreateObject("Scriptlet.TypeLib").GUID, 2, 36) 
End Function

Solution 3 - Excel

=CONCATENATE(
    DEC2HEX(RANDBETWEEN(0;4294967295);8);"-";
    DEC2HEX(RANDBETWEEN(0;42949);4);"-";
    DEC2HEX(RANDBETWEEN(0;42949);4);"-";
    DEC2HEX(RANDBETWEEN(0;42949);4);"-";
    DEC2HEX(RANDBETWEEN(0;4294967295);8);
    DEC2HEX(RANDBETWEEN(0;42949);4)
)

Solution 4 - Excel

=LOWER(
    CONCATENATE(
        DEC2HEX(RANDBETWEEN(0,POWER(16,8)),8), "-", 
        DEC2HEX(RANDBETWEEN(0,POWER(16,4)),4),"-","4", 
        DEC2HEX(RANDBETWEEN(0,POWER(16,3)),3),"-",
        DEC2HEX(RANDBETWEEN(8,11)),
        DEC2HEX(RANDBETWEEN(0,POWER(16,3)),3),"-",
        DEC2HEX(RANDBETWEEN(0,POWER(16,8)),8),
        DEC2HEX(RANDBETWEEN(0,POWER(16,4)),4)
    )
)

Taken from git @mobilitymaster.

Solution 5 - Excel

This is not a problem with the function at all.

It took me a bit of digging, but the problem is in copying and pasting. Try copying this: RANDBETWEEN(0,6553‌​5) string, posted in your original question, and paste it into a Hex Editor, then you'll see that there are actually two null characters in the 65535:

00000000  52 41 4E 44 42 45 54 57 45 45 4E 28 30 2C 36 35  RANDBETWEEN(0,65
00000010  35 33 00 00 35 29                                53‌..​5)

Solution 6 - Excel

for me it is correct, in Excel spanish

=CONCATENAR(
DEC.A.HEX(ALEATORIO.ENTRE(0,4294967295),8),"-",
DEC.A.HEX(ALEATORIO.ENTRE(0,65535),4),"-",
DEC.A.HEX(ALEATORIO.ENTRE(16384,20479),4),"-",
DEC.A.HEX(ALEATORIO.ENTRE(32768,49151),4),"-",
DEC.A.HEX(ALEATORIO.ENTRE(0,65535),4),
DEC.A.HEX(ALEATORIO.ENTRE(0,4294967295),8)
)

Solution 7 - Excel

The formula for Dutch Excel:

=KLEINE.LETTERS(
    TEKST.SAMENVOEGEN(
        DEC.N.HEX(ASELECTTUSSEN(0;MACHT(16;8));8);"-";
        DEC.N.HEX(ASELECTTUSSEN(0;MACHT(16;4));4);"-";"4";
        DEC.N.HEX(ASELECTTUSSEN(0;MACHT(16;3));3);"-";
        DEC.N.HEX(ASELECTTUSSEN(8;11));
        DEC.N.HEX(ASELECTTUSSEN(0;MACHT(16;3));3);"-";
        DEC.N.HEX(ASELECTTUSSEN(0;MACHT(16;8));8);
        DEC.N.HEX(ASELECTTUSSEN(0;MACHT(16;4));4)
    )
)

Solution 8 - Excel

The formula for French Excel:

=CONCATENER(
DECHEX(ALEA.ENTRE.BORNES(0;4294967295);8);"-";
DECHEX(ALEA.ENTRE.BORNES(0;42949);4);"-";
DECHEX(ALEA.ENTRE.BORNES(0;42949);4);"-";
DECHEX(ALEA.ENTRE.BORNES(0;42949);4);"-";
DECHEX(ALEA.ENTRE.BORNES(0;4294967295);8);
DECHEX(ALEA.ENTRE.BORNES(0;42949);4))

As noted by Josh M, this does not provide a compliant GUID however, but this works well for my current need.

Solution 9 - Excel

The formula for German Excel:

=KLEIN(
    VERKETTEN(
        DEZINHEX(ZUFALLSBEREICH(0;POTENZ(16;8));8);"-";
        DEZINHEX(ZUFALLSBEREICH(0;POTENZ(16;4));4);"-";"4";
        DEZINHEX(ZUFALLSBEREICH(0;POTENZ(16;3));3);"-";
        DEZINHEX(ZUFALLSBEREICH(8;11));
        DEZINHEX(ZUFALLSBEREICH(0;POTENZ(16;3));3);"-";
        DEZINHEX(ZUFALLSBEREICH(0;POTENZ(16;8));8);
        DEZINHEX(ZUFALLSBEREICH(0;POTENZ(16;4));
    )
)

Solution 10 - Excel

The formula for Polish version:

=ZŁĄCZ.TEKSTY(
    DZIES.NA.SZESN(LOS.ZAKR(0;4294967295);8);"-";
    DZIES.NA.SZESN(LOS.ZAKR(0;42949);4);"-";
    DZIES.NA.SZESN(LOS.ZAKR(0;42949);4);"-";
    DZIES.NA.SZESN(LOS.ZAKR(0;42949);4);"-";
    DZIES.NA.SZESN(LOS.ZAKR(0;4294967295);8);
    DZIES.NA.SZESN(LOS.ZAKR(0;42949);4)
)

Solution 11 - Excel

After trying a number of options and running into various issue with newer versions of Excel (2016) I came across this post from MS that worked like a charm. I enhanced it bit using some code from a post by danwagner.co

Private Declare PtrSafe Function CoCreateGuid Lib "ole32.dll" (Guid As GUID_TYPE) As LongPtr

Private Declare PtrSafe Function StringFromGUID2 Lib "ole32.dll" (Guid As GUID_TYPE, ByVal lpStrGuid As LongPtr, ByVal cbMax As Long) As LongPtr

Function CreateGuidString(Optional IncludeHyphens As Boolean = True, Optional IncludeBraces As Boolean = False)
    Dim Guid As GUID_TYPE
    Dim strGuid As String
    Dim retValue As LongPtr
    
    Const guidLength As Long = 39 'registry GUID format with null terminator {xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx}

    retValue = CoCreateGuid(Guid)

    If retValue = 0 Then
        strGuid = String$(guidLength, vbNullChar)
        retValue = StringFromGUID2(Guid, StrPtr(strGuid), guidLength)
    
        If retValue = guidLength Then
            '   valid GUID as a string
            '   remove them from the GUID
            If Not IncludeHyphens Then
                strGuid = Replace(strGuid, "-", vbNullString, Compare:=vbTextCompare)
            End If
    
            '   If IncludeBraces is switched from the default False to True,
            '   leave those curly braces be!
            If Not IncludeBraces Then
                strGuid = Replace(strGuid, "{", vbNullString, Compare:=vbTextCompare)
                strGuid = Replace(strGuid, "}", vbNullString, Compare:=vbTextCompare)
            End If
        

            CreateGuidString = strGuid
        End If
    End If

End Function


Public Sub TestCreateGUID()
    Dim Guid As String
    Guid = CreateGuidString() '<~ default
    Debug.Print Guid
End Sub

There are additional options in the original MS post found here: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/msoffice_excel-msoffice_custom-mso_2010/guid-run-time-error-70-permission-denied/c9ee4076-98af-4032-bc87-40ad7aa7cb38

Solution 12 - Excel

Ken Thompson is right! - for me also this way works (excel 2016), but type definition GUID_TYPE is skipped, so full scripting is:

Private Type GUID_TYPE
    Data1 As Long
    Data2 As Integer
    Data3 As Integer
    Data4(7) As Byte
End Type

Private Declare PtrSafe Function CoCreateGuid Lib "ole32.dll" (Guid As GUID_TYPE) As LongPtr

Private Declare PtrSafe Function StringFromGUID2 Lib "ole32.dll" (Guid As GUID_TYPE, ByVal lpStrGuid As LongPtr, ByVal cbMax As Long) As LongPtr

Function CreateGuidString(Optional IncludeHyphens As Boolean = True, Optional IncludeBraces As Boolean = False)
    Dim Guid As GUID_TYPE
    Dim strGuid As String
    Dim retValue As LongPtr

    Const guidLength As Long = 39 'registry GUID format with null terminator {xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx}

    retValue = CoCreateGuid(Guid)

    If retValue = 0 Then
        strGuid = String$(guidLength, vbNullChar)
        retValue = StringFromGUID2(Guid, StrPtr(strGuid), guidLength)

        If retValue = guidLength Then
            '   valid GUID as a string
            '   remove them from the GUID
            If Not IncludeHyphens Then
                strGuid = Replace(strGuid, "-", vbNullString, Compare:=vbTextCompare)
            End If

            '   If IncludeBraces is switched from the default False to True,
            '   leave those curly braces be!
            If Not IncludeBraces Then
                strGuid = Replace(strGuid, "{", vbNullString, Compare:=vbTextCompare)
                strGuid = Replace(strGuid, "}", vbNullString, Compare:=vbTextCompare)
            End If


            CreateGuidString = strGuid
        End If
    End If

End Function

Solution 13 - Excel

Italian version:

=CONCATENA(
    DECIMALE.HEX(CASUALE.TRA(0;4294967295);8);"-";
    DECIMALE.HEX(CASUALE.TRA(0;42949);4);"-";
    DECIMALE.HEX(CASUALE.TRA(0;42949);4);"-";
    DECIMALE.HEX(CASUALE.TRA(0;42949);4);"-";
    DECIMALE.HEX(CASUALE.TRA(0;4294967295);8);
    DECIMALE.HEX(CASUALE.TRA(0;42949);4))

Solution 14 - Excel

ESP:

=CONCATENAR(
    DEC.A.HEX(ALEATORIO.ENTRE(0;4294967295);8);"-"; 
    DEC.A.HEX(ALEATORIO.ENTRE(0;42949);4);"-"; 
    DEC.A.HEX(ALEATORIO.ENTRE(0;42949);4);"-"; 
    DEC.A.HEX(ALEATORIO.ENTRE(0;42949);4);"-"; 
    DEC.A.HEX(ALEATORIO.ENTRE(0;4294967295);8); 
    DEC.A.HEX(ALEATORIO.ENTRE(0;42949);4)
)
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Attributions

All content for this solution is sourced from the original question on Stackoverflow.

The content on this page is licensed under the Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) license.

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Solution 1 - ExcelKonrad VilterstenView Answer on Stackoverflow
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