Excel allows us to join the text with a defined delimiter by using the TEXTJOIN function with an ability to avoid empty cells. This step by step tutorial will assist all levels of Excel users in concatenating values in the table with a defined delimiter.
Figure 1. The final result of the TEXTJOIN function
Syntax of the TEXTJOIN Formula
=TEXTJOIN(delimiter, ignore_empty, text1, [text2], ...)
The parameters of the TEXTJOIN function are:
- delimiter – a string that will be used as a separator between the text items
- ignore_empty – TRUE for ignoring empty cells
- text1, [text2] – text strings that will be joined
Setting up Our Data for the TEXTJOIN Function
Our table consists of 4 columns: “Delivery Number” (column B), “Address” (column C), “Contact Person” (column D) and “Result” (column E). In column E, we want to get a joined text from the columns B, C and D using separator “; “ between the text.
Figure 2. Data that we will use in the TEXTJOIN example
Join the Text From the Cell Range With a Delimiter
We want to join the text from the cell range B:D with a separator “; “ between the text.
The formula looks like:
=TEXTJOIN("; ",TRUE,B3:D3)
The delimiter is “; “, while the ignore_empty is TRUE. The text1, [text2] is cell range B3:D3.
To apply the TEXTJOIN function, we need to follow these steps:
- Select cell E3 and click on it
- Insert the formula:
=TEXTJOIN("; ",TRUE,B3:D3) - Press enter
- Drag the formula down to the other cells in the column by clicking and dragging the little “+” icon at the bottom-right of the cell.
Figure 3. Using the TEXTJOIN function to join the values from the cell range
Formula concatenates the values from the cell range B3:D3. A user can define text separator easily in delimiter argument of the function. This is a big advantage of using TEXTJOIN function instead of CONCATENATE or CONCA function. If function argument ignore_empty is TRUE, empty cells will be excluded from concatenation delimiter and will not be repeated in the result.
Most of the time, the problem you will need to solve will be more complex than a simple application of a formula or function. If you want to save hours of research and frustration, try our live Excelchat service! Our Excel Experts are available 24/7 to answer any Excel question you may have. We guarantee a connection within 30 seconds and a customized solution within 20 minutes.
Leave a Comment