The `CONCAT` function in Excel is used to combine text from multiple cells or text strings into a single string. It is a more flexible successor to the older `CONCATENATE` function. Here’s how you can use the `CONCAT` function:
Syntax
CONCAT(text1, [text2, ...])
- text1: The first text item to combine. This can be a cell reference, a text string, or an array of strings.
- text2, …: Additional text items to combine. You can add more text items as needed.
Steps to Use CONCAT
- Open Excel: Start with your Excel workbook open.
- Identify the Cells: Determine which cells contain the text you want to combine.
- Enter the CONCAT Formula:
- Click on the cell where you want the combined text to appear.
- Type `=CONCAT(`.
- Select the first cell (or type in `”text”`) you want to combine and type a comma.
- Continue to select additional cells or text strings, separating them with commas.
- Close the parentheses and press Enter.
Example
Suppose you want to combine the text in cells A1 and B1. Here’s how you could do it:
=CONCAT(A1, B1)
If A1 contains “Hello” and B1 contains “World”, this formula will display “HelloWorld”.
Adding Separators
The `CONCAT` function itself does not automatically add spaces or other separators between combined text. If you want a space or another character between words, you need to include them explicitly:
=CONCAT(A1, " ", B1)
Following the example above, this formula will display “Hello World”.
Advantages of CONCAT
- Array Handling: Unlike `CONCATENATE`, `CONCAT` can handle arrays, allowing you to combine ranges of cells.
- Convenience: Supports references and text strings directly within the formula.
Important Note
- Version: The `CONCAT` function is available starting from Excel 2016 onward. If you are using an older version, use the `CONCATENATE` function or the `&` operator instead.
The `CONCAT` function is very handy for merging text data into coherent strings for better presentation or further analysis in Excel.
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