The INDEX function searches a string for a specified substring and returns an integer value that either indicates the location of the substring or the status of the search. Syntax: INDEX( string, substring ) INDEX requires two character-string expressions as parameters: a string to be searched and a substring to be found. The search ends as soon as the first occurrence of the substring is located. If the substring is found, INDEX returns the string component that contains the first letter of the substring. If the substring is not found, INDEX returns the value 0. If the substring is an empty string, INDEX returns the value 1. If the string to be searched is an empty string, INDEX returns the value 0 unless the substring is also empty; in which case, INDEX returns the value 1.