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AdiAtNoname's avatar
AdiAtNoname
Copper Contributor
Jan 15, 2020

CONCAT Function Not Working

Hi,

 

Using Office 365 here (installed on PC).

Entering =CONCAT(G2," ",H2) to join the two text values in these cells and when clicking enter the formula appears in the cell, not a string of the two words in the cells I want to combine.

 

Also tried =G2&," ",&H2, and showing formula in cell.

 

Anyone else experiencing this?

 

Thank you.

  • Lauraleiwhit's avatar
    Lauraleiwhit
    Copper Contributor

    AdiAtNoname Same problem here using Excel 2016. I tried to combine two columns of data into one using the =A2&" "&B2 formula example, and also tried =concat(A2," ",B2) and neither are working. When I hit enter all it shows is the formula I entered. I have also check to make sure the Show Formulas button is not selected. 

      • Lauraleiwhit's avatar
        Lauraleiwhit
        Copper Contributor

        SergeiBaklan All data in both columns are formatted as text. But here's what just happened. I tried the formula in a blank worksheet and it worked. Then when I went back to my data worksheet to try again, it finally worked. I entered the same formula again and viola, it worked. I don't know why this was the case. I had originally typed in the cell references instead of selecting them by clicking on them. Is this possibly the trick??
        Regardless, my problem is solved.
        This might help someone else though??

  • ChrisMendoza's avatar
    ChrisMendoza
    Iron Contributor

    AdiAtNoname -

    Not sure what you're experiencing on your side but this is what I get:

    You don't need the commas when using & to join.

    • tencat951's avatar
      tencat951
      Copper Contributor

      ChrisMendoza 

      I have typed in the formula just as shown - I tried this using ampersand and the concat function. And the result is not the function but the formula I typed in.

      I successfully completed this task on another work sheet in the same document. Only difference is I was combining two text cells and not three. 

      Very frustrating.

      Help

      • HansVogelaar's avatar
        HansVogelaar
        MVP

        tencat951 

        As mentioned in other replies in this discussion:

        • Make sure that the cell with the formula is not formatted as Text.
        • Make sure that the Show Formulas button in the Formula Auditing group of the Formulas tab of the ribbon is not highlighted.
  • Jesse_ou812's avatar
    Jesse_ou812
    Copper Contributor

    AdiAtNoname 

    I too have this problem and tried all suggested solutions.   It appears there is a bug or virus that is forcing the cell that the "concat" formula is being put in to become a text only cell and the formula does not get executed.  I think I will again try to shut off the computer altogether and reboot - sometimes that works.

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