Full name
=CONCAT(A2, " ", B2) joins first and last name with a space between.
What is CONCAT in Google Sheets?
CONCAT joins two or more text values into one string. CONCATENATE is the older name for the same job in many workbooks. The ampersand operator (&) also joins values. For lists with delimiters and empty cells skipped, TEXTJOIN is often cleaner.
When to use it
Use CONCAT to build display names, composite keys, URL fragments, or export labels from a few adjacent columns.
When to skip it
Skip CONCAT when you need delimiters between many cells or want to ignore blanks. Use TEXTJOIN. When you need to split text apart, use SPLIT.
How it works
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1
List values or cell references inside CONCAT(value1, value2, ...).
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2
Add literal spaces as " " between name parts so words do not run together.
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3
Numbers join as their displayed values; wrap with TEXT if you need fixed date or currency format.
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4
CONCATENATE accepts the same pattern and still appears in legacy templates.
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5
Ampersand chains like A2&" "&B2 behave like CONCAT for two pieces.
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6
TRIM the result when source cells have trailing spaces from imports.
Examples in Google Sheets
Order code
=CONCAT("ORD-", TEXT(C2,"yyyymmdd"), "-", D2) builds a readable order id from date and sequence.
Label with prefix
=CONCAT("Total: $", TEXT(E2,"0.00")) formats currency text for a dashboard tile.
Build this without starting from a blank cell
Use a Better Sheets tool for CONCAT, then watch a walkthrough when you want the full pattern.
Better Sheets resources
Common mistakes
- Forgetting separators so CityState becomes one unreadable token.
- Joining dates without TEXT, so serial numbers appear in the output.
- Using CONCAT on ten columns when TEXTJOIN with ignore_empty is shorter.
- Assuming CONCAT removes duplicate spaces from messy source cells without TRIM.
- Building keys that later need splitting because CONCAT merged fields you should keep separate.
Frequently asked questions
- CONCAT vs CONCATENATE?
- Both join text in Google Sheets. CONCAT is the modern name. Older sheets may still show CONCATENATE.
- CONCAT vs ampersand?
- Same idea for a few pieces. Ampersand is often faster to type for simple two-value joins.
- CONCAT vs TEXTJOIN?
- TEXTJOIN adds a delimiter and can skip empty cells in one call. CONCAT does neither by default.
- CONCAT with numbers?
- Numbers convert to text automatically. Use TEXT when you need specific formatting.
- CONCAT across ranges?
- CONCAT takes individual values. TEXTJOIN or ARRAYFORMULA patterns handle wide ranges better.
- CONCAT and line breaks?
- Include CHAR(10) as a literal argument where you need a line break inside the cell.
- CONCAT with IF?
- Wrap pieces in IF when a middle field may be blank and you want to skip extra spaces.
- CONCAT character limit?
- Cells cap around 50k characters. Very long joins may need splitting across rows.
Related Tutorials
Watch how CONCAT works
Concat Because Concatenate is too hard to Remember!
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Related blog posts
Guides that explain CONCAT in more depth.
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Read post →Related glossary terms
TEXTJOIN
TEXTJOIN merges many text values into one string with a delimiter between them. The ignore_empty argument skips blanks so you do not get double commas. It builds display labels, CSV-like rows, and summary lines from wide tables.
Read guide →SPLIT
SPLIT divides one text cell into multiple cells spilled across columns using a delimiter such as comma, space, or custom string. It is the formula version of Text to columns for live data like tags, full names, or combined codes.
Read guide →Google Sheets formula syntax
Every formula starts with = followed by a function name and arguments in parentheses. Ranges use A1 notation, text sits in quotes, and operators like + and & combine values. Sheets recalculates when inputs change, so syntax errors show as #NAME? or #ERROR! in the cell.
Read guide →IF
IF evaluates a logical test and returns value_if_true when the test passes, otherwise value_if_false. It is the basic branching function for labels, safe division, and simple approvals before you reach for IFS or lookup tables.
Read guide →Done reading about CONCAT?
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