Join text in Excel with &, CONCAT and CONCATENATE
Use the & sign to join text: =A2&" ("&E2&")" returns "Dana (East)". CONCAT does the same as a function. CONCATENATE is the older name and still works.
The examples use the same sales table as the practice box below.
| A Rep | B Sales | E Region | H Hired | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Dana | 1,250 | East | 3/12/2018 |
| 3 | Luis | 830 | West | 7/1/2021 |
| 4 | Priya | 2,100 | East | 11/20/2016 |
| 5 | Marcus | 475 | North | 2/15/2023 |
| 6 | Jen | 990 | West | 9/3/2019 |
| 7 | Omar | 1,600 | East | 1/27/2020 |
Three ways to join
| Formula | Result |
|---|---|
=A2&" - "&E2 | Dana - East |
=CONCAT(A2," - ",E2) | Dana - East |
=CONCATENATE(A2," - ",E2) | Dana - East |
Most people and most tests use & because it's shortest.
Add your own spaces
=A2&E2 gives "DanaEast". Excel doesn't add spaces. Put them in quotes: " ".
Build a code from pieces
=UPPER(LEFT(A2,3))&"-"&LEFT(E2,1) returns DAN-E: the first three letters of the name in capitals, a dash, then the first letter of the region. This kind of question shows up on data entry tests.
Joining numbers and dates
Numbers lose their formatting when joined. ="Sales: "&B2 gives "Sales: 1250". Use TEXT to format: ="Sales: "&TEXT(B2,"$#,##0") gives "Sales: $1,250".
Which versions have CONCAT
CONCAT is in Excel 2019 and later, Microsoft 365 and Google Sheets. CONCATENATE works everywhere. & works everywhere. To join a whole range with a separator, use TEXTJOIN.
Try it: Rep code
Build a code for Dana in C2: the first three letters of her name in capitals, a dash, then the first letter of her region. It should read DAN-E.
Graded live, like a real Excel test. Press New numbers to prove you didn't memorize the answer. More practice
Questions people ask
What's the difference between CONCAT and CONCATENATE?
CONCAT accepts ranges, like CONCAT(A2:A4). CONCATENATE needs each cell listed separately. Otherwise they do the same thing.
How do I add a line break when joining?
Use CHAR(10), like =A2&CHAR(10)&E2, and turn on Wrap Text for the cell.
Practice on a real spreadsheet
CellReady grades your formula the moment you press Enter and tells you why a wrong answer is wrong. The first 7 lessons are free, with no sign-up to start.
Related guides
How TEXTJOIN combines a range of cells with a separator like a comma, how it skips blanks, which versions have it, and a live exercise.
How to extract characters from text in Excel with LEFT, RIGHT and MID, how to split first and last names with FIND, and a live exercise.
Fix extra spaces and random capitals in Excel with TRIM, PROPER, UPPER and LOWER, plus the cases they miss and a live exercise.