Concatenating data in Google Sheets: A comprehensive guide

Combining multiple cells in Google Sheets is a common task, whether you're working with a small dataset or a large one. This guide explores various methods for concatenating data, ensuring data integrity and allowing for customized formatting.

Several techniques are available:

• Google Sheets CONCAT function
• Concatenation operator: ampersand (&)
• CONCATENATE function in Google Sheets
• Merging columns in Google Sheets
• Merging cells without formulas
• Concatenating and adding text by position

Google Sheets CONCAT Function

The CONCAT function simplifies joining cells. It takes two arguments:

=CONCAT(value1, value2)

• value1: The base value.
• value2: The value to append.

For example: =CONCAT("2019:","The Lion King")

Cell references can be used instead of hardcoded values: =CONCAT(A2,B2)

The formula can be easily copied down a column by double-clicking the small square at the bottom right of the cell.

Limitations: CONCAT only merges two cells at a time and doesn't handle ranges effectively. Attempting to merge multiple cells (e.g., =CONCAT(A2:A11,B2:B11)) may result in errors or incomplete concatenation.

Concatenation Operator: Ampersand (&)

The ampersand (&) offers a more flexible alternative:

=A2&B2

Advantages:

1. Merges more than two values: =A2&B2&C2

   

2. Allows inclusion of separators: =A2&" "&B2&"; "&C2

   

Google Sheets CONCATENATE Function

The CONCATENATE function is a more versatile option:

=CONCATENATE(string1, [string2, ...])

It concatenates multiple strings, with the order determined by their appearance in the formula. Ranges can also be used: =CONCATENATE(A2:D2)

Separators can be easily added: =CONCATENATE(A2," ",B2,", ",C2)

For handling blank cells and adding separators, TEXTJOIN is useful: =TEXTJOIN(" ",TRUE,A2:C2)

Line breaks are achieved using CHAR(10): =CONCATENATE(A2,CHAR(10),B2,CHAR(10),C2,CHAR(10),D2)

Combining dates and times requires the TEXT function: =CONCATENATE(TEXT(B2,"D MMM YYYY"),", ",TEXT(C2,"HH:MM:SS"))

Merging Columns in Google Sheets

The methods above can be adapted to merge columns. ARRAYFORMULA is helpful with CONCAT or the ampersand:

=ARRAYFORMULA(CONCAT(A2:A10,B2:B10))

=ARRAYFORMULA(A2:A10&" "&B2:B10&"; "&C2:C10)

QUERY offers a more robust solution for handling many columns: =TRANSPOSE(QUERY(TRANSPOSE(A2:D10),,9^9))

Merging Cells Without Formulas

Add-ons like "Merge Values" provide a no-formula approach to merging cells, offering flexibility and ease of use. They allow for merging columns, rows, or entire ranges with various separator options.

Concatenating and Adding Text by Position

For complex scenarios, add-ons can insert text at specific positions within concatenated strings, streamlining the process.

This guide provides a comprehensive overview of techniques for concatenating data in Google Sheets, catering to various needs and skill levels. Choose the method best suited to your specific requirements.

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