To use the CONCATENATE function in Google Sheets, select the cell where you want the result, go to the Formula bar, type =CONCATENATE(A1, A2) where cells A1 and A2 contain the data you want to combine, and press Enter.
The CONCATENATE Function
The CONCATENATE function is a built-in function in Google Sheets that allows you to combine two or more strings of data together.
It is used when you want to combine data from multiple cells into one cell or when you want to create a custom string of data. For instance, you could use the CONCATENATE function to combine a person’s first and last name into a single cell.
To do this, type in the formula bar =CONCATENATE (“Bob”, ” “, “Brown”). This will return the result Bob Brown.
This function simplifies your work and saves you a great deal of time when you need to combine cells that contain large amounts of text or numeric values. For this reason, it is recommended to use this function when entering data into Google Sheets so you can avoid making mistakes.
How to Use the CONCATENATE Function
The basic formula layout for the CONCATENATE function is =CONCATENATE(text1, text2, …). You can use this function to combine two or more strings of information into one longer string.
There are a couple ways to use this formula.
Method 1: Using Cell References
- Select the cell where you want the result (D1).
- Type the formula =CONCATENATE(A1, B1, C1), where A1, B1, and C1 contain the data you want to combine into one string.
- Press Enter.
Just like that, the data is joined together into one string.
Method 2: Using Text
- Select the cell where you want the combined data to go (A1).
- Type the formula =CONCATENATE(“Yes”, “No”). Make sure the text you want to combine is put in quotation marks, or it won’t work.
- Press the Enter key.
The two words have now become one!
As you can see, there is no space between the words by default. To ensure there is a space between the words in your result, include a space in the formula, surrounded by quotation marks:
=CONCATENATE(“Yes”, “ “, “No”)
You can also add a comma by adjusting the formula again:
=CONCATENATE(“Yes”, “, “, “No”)
Likewise, you can add an ampersand or any other symbol or word you like:
=CONCATENATE(“Yes”, “ & “, “No”)
These same methods will also work when using the cell reference method.
The CONCATENATE Function in Google Sheets FAQs
Check out the FAQs below if you want to learn more about this topic.
How do I apply CONCATENATE to two columns of data in Google Sheets?
To CONCATENATE two columns of data in Google Sheets, select the top cell in the third column, go to the Formula bar, and enter the formula =CONCATENATE(A1, ” “, B1), where A1 and B1 are cells with your values, and “ “ is the space between them. Next, press the Enter key on your keyboard. Finally, drag the cell with the result downward by the corner icon to copy the formula into the rest of the cells.
How do I CONCATENATE a range of cells in Google Sheets?
To CONCATENATE a range of cells, select the cell where you want the result. Then go to the Formula bar and enter the formula =CONCATENATE(A1:F1), where A1:F1 is the range (selected manually). Finally, press the Enter key on your keyboard.
How do I CONCATENATE more than two columns in Google Sheets?
To CONCATENATE more than two columns, click on the cell where you want the answer, navigate to the Formula bar, and enter the formula =ArrayFormula(A1:A5&B1:B5&C1:C5). Here A1:A5, B1:B5, and C1:C5 are the ranges of your columns. Finally, press Enter.
