Mastering Excel TEXTJOIN Function: Concatenation Made Easy

Excel TEXTJOIN Function

When to Use the Excel TEXTJOIN Function in Excel

The TEXTJOIN function in Excel is your go-to choice when you need to concatenate text values from various cells or ranges into a single string. It is particularly handy for creating lists, labels, or summaries that require the consolidation of text elements.

What Excel TEXTJOIN Function Returns

The Excel TEXTJOIN function returns a single text string that combines all the specified text values. You can define the delimiter (a character that separates the text values) and choose to ignore empty cells or include them in the final string.

Syntax of Excel TEXTJOIN Function

The syntax of the Excel TEXTJOIN function is as follows:

=TEXTJOIN(delimiter, ignore_empty, text1, [text2], …)

Input Arguments

Here are the input arguments for the Excel TEXTJOIN function:

👉 delimiter: This is the character that separates the text values in the resulting string. It can be a space, comma, hyphen, or any other character enclosed in double quotation marks.

👉 ignore_empty: A logical value (TRUE or FALSE) that determines whether empty cells should be included in the concatenation. Set it to TRUE to exclude empty cells or FALSE to include them.

👉 text1, [text2], …: These are the text values you want to join together. You can include up to 253 text values as arguments.

Extra Notes

👉 If you omit the delimiter argument, TEXTJOIN will use an empty space as the default separator.

👉 You can use cell references, direct text entries, or even formulas that evaluate to text as arguments for the function.

👉 TEXTJOIN can handle a mix of different data types, such as numbers and dates, and convert them to text for concatenation.

👉 Excel TEXTJOIN function was introduced in Excel 2016 and is not available in earlier versions. Make sure you are using a compatible version of Excel.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

👉 Forgetting to enclose text entries in quotation marks: Ensure that all text values are enclosed in double quotation marks if they are direct entries.

👉 Misplacing the delimiter: Make sure to specify the correct delimiter character to separate the text values as intended.

👉 Overlooking the ignore_empty argument: Decide whether you want to include or exclude empty cells in your concatenation and set the ignore_empty argument accordingly.

Tips For Optimal Usage

To maximize the utility of the Excel TEXTJOIN function, consider these tips:

👉 Experiment with different delimiters to customize the appearance of your concatenated text strings.

👉 Utilize the CONCATENATE function or the ampersand operator (&) to combine text values if you don’t need the flexibility of specifying a delimiter or handling empty cells.

👉 Remember that TEXTJOIN is not limited to a fixed number of text values; you can concatenate as many as 253 text values in a single formula.

Examples of the Excel TEXTJOIN Function

Here are three examples illustrating the application of the Excel TEXTJOIN function:

Example 1: Basic Usage

Suppose you have a list of fruits in cells A1 through A5, and you want to create a comma-separated list of these fruits in cell B1. Use the following formula:

Example 2: Join with a Range and Criteria

Suppose you have a list of names in column A and their corresponding ages in column B. You want to join the names of people who are older than 30. Here is how you can do it.

In some cases, you may need to enter the formula as an array formula. To do this, instead of pressing Enter, press Ctrl+Shift+Enter. Excel will add curly braces { } around the formula if entered correctly.

Here is what each part of the formula does:

(1) IF(B1:B5>30, A1:A5, “”)

• This part of the formula checks if the age in column B is greater than 30. If it is, it returns the corresponding name from column A; otherwise, it returns an empty string (“”). This creates an array of names and empty strings based on the age criteria.

(2) TEXTJOIN(“, “, TRUE, … )

• The TEXTJOIN function then joins the elements of the array created by the IF function, using a comma and space as the delimiter. The TRUE argument tells Excel to ignore any empty strings.

Now, let’s break down how the array formula works:

For each cell in the range B1:B5, it checks if the age is greater than 30.

If the age is greater than 30, it returns the corresponding name; otherwise, it returns an empty string.

The result is an array of names and empty strings based on the age criteria: {“”;”Michael”;””;”David”;”” }

The TEXTJOIN function then joins these elements with “, “ as the delimiter and ignores the empty strings:

The use of an array formula (Ctrl+Shift+Enter) is necessary because we are performing a conditional operation on multiple cells to create an array of results. Excel treats this as an array formula, and the curly braces { } indicate that it is an array formula. Array formulas are used when standard Excel functions cannot perform the desired operation on multiple values simultaneously.

Comparison between Excel TEXTJOIN Function and Excel CONCAT Function

Excel TEXTJOIN Function:

Concatenation with Delimiters: TEXTJOIN allows you to concatenate text values with specified delimiters, providing flexibility in formatting your combined strings.

Handling Empty Cells: You can choose to include or exclude empty cells in the concatenation by using the “ignore_empty” argument.

Concatenation of Multiple Text Values: TEXTJOIN can combine up to 253 text values in a single formula.

Versatile Data Types: It handles a mix of data types, converting them to text for concatenation.

Customizable Output: TEXTJOIN enables you to create custom text strings by specifying the delimiter and handling empty cells.

Excel CONCAT Function:

Basic Concatenation: CONCAT simply joins two or more text values without delimiters, making it suitable for basic concatenation needs.

Simpler Usage: CONCAT is straightforward and ideal for quick text combining when delimiters and empty cell handling are not required.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Excel TEXTJOIN function is a versatile tool for concatenating text values in Excel. Whether you need to merge lists, create labels, or consolidate information, TEXTJOIN offers flexibility and efficiency.

Don’t hesitate to experiment with different delimiters, explore its capabilities with various data types, and incorporate it into your Excel projects to streamline your tasks and enhance your data handling abilities.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: Can the TEXTJOIN function handle numeric values and dates?

A1: Yes, the TEXTJOIN function can concatenate a mix of text, numeric values, and dates. It will automatically convert non-text values to text for concatenation.

Q2: Is there a limit to the number of text values that can be joined using TEXTJOIN?

A2: Yes, you can concatenate up to 253 text values in a single TEXTJOIN formula.

Q3: Can I use special characters as delimiters in TEXTJOIN?

A3: Absolutely, you can use any character, including special characters, as delimiters in TEXTJOIN, as long as they are enclosed in double quotation marks.

Q4: Does TEXTJOIN work with cell ranges as well as individual cells?

A4: Yes, TEXTJOIN can work with both cell ranges (e.g., A1:A5) and individual cells (e.g., A1, A2, A3). It offers great flexibility in selecting the text values to concatenate.

Other Related Excel Functions

SUBSTITUTE Function

LEFT Function

RIGHT Function

MID Function

REPLACE Function

LEN Function

UPPER Function

LOWER Function

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