CONCATENATE vs CONCAT: Which to Use?

Nothing is worse than spending hours creating a complex spreadsheet, only to realize you've used the wrong function to combine text strings. By the end of this post, you'll be able to choose between CONCATENATE and CONCAT with confidence and troubleshoot common issues.

Imagine you have a dataset of 5,000 customer names, split into first and last names across two columns. You need to combine these into a single full name column.

The "Old Way" vs. "Smart Way" Comparison

Scenario-Based Example

Suppose you have the following dataset:

=CONCATENATE(A1, " ", B1)

For CONCAT, the formula is similar:

=CONCAT(A1, " ", B1)

Note the space character " " is included as a separate argument to ensure proper spacing between the names.

Common Mistakes

• Forgetting to include spaces between text arguments.
• Using CONCATENATE in newer Excel versions when CONCAT is available.

Real-World Example

In a real-world scenario, you might need to combine customer names with their addresses. Using CONCAT, this could look like:

=CONCAT(A1, " ", B1, ", ", C1, ", ", D1)

Assuming A1 is the first name, B1 is the last name, C1 is the street address, and D1 is the city.

When Things Go Wrong

1. #NAME? Error: Ensure you're using the correct function name, CONCATENATE or CONCAT, and that it's spelled correctly.
2. #VALUE! Error: Check that your text arguments are properly formatted and that you're not trying to concatenate non-text values without converting them first.
3. Incorrect Spacing: Verify that spaces are included as separate arguments when using CONCAT or that the & operator is used correctly with the & " " &` method.

To troubleshoot issues with text concatenation, consider using the TEXTJOIN function for more complex scenarios or the CONCATENATE function for compatibility with older Excel versions. For conditional concatenation, you might use the IF function in combination with CONCAT.

Stop fighting with syntax. Generate this formula instantly with our tool. Use the Excel Formula Generator