MD5 Hash function in excel without using VBA

Question

I need a function that will take an entire cell value in Excel and convert the value into its MD5 hash equivalent in a new cell.

Is there a formula in excel that does that? I need a solution that doesn't use VBA. Is this possible?

Answer 1

This was actually answered (with a "Yes", it's possible, and here's the proof) but the answer has been mysteriously removed. Fortunately, the Wayback Machine remembers the answer. Basically, by using Excel's bitwise operations (BITAND(), BITOR(), BITXOR(), BITR[L]SHIFT()), an MD5 calculation can be made.

Somebody even wrote a blog post on it, including an example workbook.

Answer 2

Without VBA is possible to use webservice formula that invoke a webservice that return the md5sum.

Explanation

• =WEBSERVICE(B4)

  • Result: 89374b6dda3bb0e16132b21fb9887f1d

• =CONCAT("https://md5sum.herokuapp.com/?text=";ENCODEURL(B3))

  • Result: https://md5sum.herokuapp.com/?text=bruno%20tafarelo

• B3 cells contains the text to be coded

  • Value: bruno tafarelo

This web service was developed by me as all the services on internet require a POST method and Excel is only able to perform GET request. It's hosted in a free service and I don't know for how long it will be available.

Web service source code: https://github.com/btafarelo/md5sum