What is the Excel CONCAT Function?
The excel CONCAT function combines all data; it could be a text, a number or a date. The result remains a text.
The advantage of the CONCAT function compared to the CONCATENATE function is allowing you to use the range address in the text argument. No need to type every cell address, just the range address.
CONCAT Syntax
CONCAT(text1, [text2],…)
text1, required, the first value to combine, you can use a range reference containing a text, a number or a date.
text2, optional, additional value to combine, handle up to 255 values and no more than 8,192 characters in a result.
How to Use CONCAT Function in Excel
The image below is an example of the CONCAT function usage and the results.
CONCAT Function #1
=CONCAT(A2:C2)
The result is redgreenblue. You can use the range address and make a simpler formula.
CONCAT Function #2
=CONCAT(A3," ",B3," ",C3)
The CONCAT function is unable to add a word separator. You have to type one by one if you want. In this condition, the CONCAT function is no different from the CONCATENATE function.
Use the excel TEXTJOIN function if you want a word separator without having to type it one by one.
CONCAT Function #3
=CONCAT(A4:C4)
You can combine a text lotus and a number 123. The result remains a text, lotus123.
CONCAT Function #4
=CONCAT(A5:C5)
You can combine several numbers too (not add up) using the range address, the result is an alphanumeric 123456.
CONCAT Function #5
=CONCAT(A6:C6)
Why does a date 8/17/1945 when a combined change to 16666?
Excel stores date values in an integer number. The date 8/17/1945 is the result of an integer number formatted using mm/dd/yyyy date format, when combined using the CONCAT function the original value appears.
Read the article below for a more detailed explanation of how dates and times are stored in Excel.
