Can't join two data cells with ampersand

[Caesar240]

I'm trying to combine the values of two adjacent columns. It's the common FirstName and LastName thing. I've read in Microsoft support about using the ampersand. I followed the instructions carefully: Typed the equal sign in a new empty column, then clicked cell A2, the ampersand, quotation marks with an empty space between them, another ampersand, then clicked cell B2. All I get in cell C2 is—

=A2&" "&B2

Can someone tell me where I've strayed? I use Office 365 on a MacBook Pro, but Windows 10 in Parallels. I'm working on this project in Excel for Windows 10. However, I've tried to get this to work in Excel for Mac with the same disappointing results.

[#2 · Accepted solution]

@Caesar240 Either the cell where you entered the formula was formatted as text before you entered it or you accidentally pressed the "Show Formulas" button on the Formulas ribbon.

Format he cell as Number and re-enter the formula or press the "Show Formulas" button again.

[#3]

@Caesar240 

One more possible reason if you use on Mac curvy quotation mark instead of normal one ( " ).

[#4]

Thank you! At first, I did not know what you meant by the "Show Formulas" button. I do now after I looked up where to find that button. I don't think that was the source of the problem. After I read your reply, I clicked on "fx" in the box next to the data entry bar (the box that displays an X, a checkmark, and "fx"). That action launched a dialog box I'd never seen before. (By now you surely can see that I'm kinda green at this stuff.) I closed the dialog box and voila! Cell C2 displayed results instead of the formula. Then I copied cell C2 into the rest of the cells in column C, and I've got what I wanted all along.

I really need to take myself to school for Excel.

I noticed that the fx had been grayed out before I did as I described above, but it returned to normal afterward when my formula changed to results. Here's another possible clue: I inserted the new column C, which picked up Text formatting from the existing cells. Does the formatting of a cell matter when inserting a formula?

[#5]

@Caesar240 Good you could sort it out. With respect to your question at the end of your post, yes, it matters. If the cell/column is formatted as Text, everything entered there will be seen as text.