Simply defined, concatenation is the act of linking things together. In Microsoft Excel, the concatenation function is one of many text functions, which allows users to combine data distributed over multiple columns. Utilizing data concatenation in Microsoft Excel can provide marketing users with a fast, simple way to create bulk item descriptions and product titles.
This tutorial is a brief overview of the step-by-step process users must follow to concatenate data. To simply concatenate data in Excel, users should begin with clear, organized cells in an existing spreadsheet.
To start combining values with the concatenate function, users must enter the cell in which they wish to combine values with their cursor. Data may be concatenated in any cell; however, for the purposes of this tutorial, data has been concatenated in the empty cell E2. The cell in which the formula for concatenation is entered will be the cell in which the combined results appear.
Users must first enter =CONCATENATE( into the cell in which they wish to combine data. This first step allows for the program to recognize the desired function of concatenation.
Next, users must enter the values of the columns they wish to concatenate. For this example, columns A2, B2, C2, and D2 will be combined. Dependent upon the data type you are working with you may need to add spaces to your formula. Such is achieved by entering a space between a set of quotation marks, displayed in the below formula. Note that to separate the values of your formula, it is necessary to include commas between your values, including the added spaces.
=CONCATENATE(A2,” “,B2, ” “,C2, ” “,D2,)
Once the formula is complete, users must press the enter key. This will activate the formula in the cell in which it has been entered.
If working with multiple columns of data, users may spread the formula to other columns using the drag function, accessible by placing the cursor in the bottom right corner of the cell and pulling the formula to the desired column/cell location. This will allow for the concatenation formula to be applied to cells in bulk, thus saving users valuable time.
Taking advantage of Excel’s many formula functions allows for increased productivity among marketing users and when utilized, can assist users in avoiding repetitive, time consuming work. In addition to the productivity benefits, applying Excel functions to marketing tasks can aid in producing streamlined, consistent results.
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