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Microsoft Excel 2008

Functions: Concatenate

The Concatenate function creates a text string by pulling data from specified fields. This function can join information such as first and last names, or names and scores, which are in separate fields. Up to 255 fields may be added together in this fashion. The result is a text string, which cannot be used in calculations.

Concatenate is faster than copying and pasting, especially when creating complex text strings, or multiple text strings using identical sets of fields. To create multiple text strings using identical sets of fields, use the Fill command.

1. Open the desired Excel worksheet

2. Select the cell where you would like the result of the function to appear
   HINT: If you will be using the Fill command to create text strings for each row of data, select a cell in the same row as the information you will use to create the text string.

3. From the Insert menu, select Function...
   The Formula Builder appears.
   

4. In the Search for a function text box, type Concatenate

5. Press [return]
   OR
   Scroll to the Text section

6. Double click CONCATENATE
   The Arguments section appears.

7. In the text 1 text box, type the cell ID containing the first field to appear in the text string
   OR
   On your worksheet, select the cell to include

8. To add supplementary text between fields, in a separate text box, type the text in quotation marks
   To add a space between fields, in a separate text box, type quote marks with a space in between (" ")
   

9. Repeat steps 7 and 8 for as many of the text text boxes as necessary
   NOTES:
   To add a text box, click.
   A preview of your result is displayed in the bottom of the Arguments section

10. Place the insertion point in the Formula bar

11. Press [return]
    The text string appears in the selected cell and the formula appears in the Formula bar.