Using the CONCATENATE Worksheet Function

Do you really want to get into that argument again, Brian?

You said "...the terms of excelribbon.tips that state that comments become the property of excelribbon.tips." There is no such statement in our terms. I provided a link to our actual terms, or anyone can click on the "Commenting Terms" link at the bottom of this (or any) page.

The closest to what you suggest is our term #5 which states that "...you grant us the right to use your comment in any way we see fit, with or without attribution or remuneration, at our sole discretion."

You state that you chose LinkedIn to post your substantive comments because of our terms. However, the commenting policies at LinkedIn (as I provided a link for) are materially the same as ours.

So how are you wrong? Two ways. First, our commenting terms don't include the wording you indicate. Second, you are wrong in your inference that commenting policies are somehow less onerous at other sites, such as LinkedIn.

Does that help?

-Allen

"Brian is wrong in his statement"
@Allen, please advise what specifically is wrong.
Regards
Brian

@Dennis,
Are you sure about the ’comma’ ?
To my opinion it should be an equation sign (=).
Michael (Micky) Avidan
“Microsoft® Answers" - Wiki author & Forums Moderator
“Microsoft®” MVP – Excel (2009-2015)
ISRAEL

The simplest answer to Brian L.'s task seems to be
{=AND(A1:A50,R1:R50)}

i.e., enter as an array formula using the infamous Ctrl-Shift-Enter sequence.

This doesn't address Andrew's original topic of concatenating multiple cells - instead it sidesteps it.

Great stuff, folks! The use of F9 to convert the range into array values as a starting point is a brilliant trick. I couldn't quite figure out why TRANSPOSE is necessary, though -- it works fine for me just skipping to the F9 step. Thanks again, all -- Brian Canes, your detailed (understatement!) explanations were very interesting and helpful -- "You see, you didn't stop me" -- LOL! And the summary by Abhilash VK at exceltoxl.com was also great.

To those who like add-ons may install the MOREFUNC add-on and use the: MCONCAT Function.
Others – who want to spare all the struggling with a "HUGE" formula and assume you have 22(!) cells, across a row, with data and you need to concatenate then into a single cell, with comma-separators – try the following:
* In Cell W1 type: =JoinCells(A1:V1,", ") after you entered the following VBA Code into a VBE Module:
---------------------------------------
Function JoinCells(Rng As Range, Optional Sep As String)
For Each CL In Rng
If CL > "" Then JoinCells = JoinCells & Sep & CL
Next
JoinCells = Mid(JoinCells, Len(Sep) + 1)
End Function
----------------

Michael (Micky) Avidan
“Microsoft® Answers" - Wiki author & Forums Moderator
“Microsoft®” MVP – Excel (2009-2015)
ISRAEL

"Maybe I should read things before agreeing to them"

Balthamossa: If you did read them, you would find out that Brian is wrong in his statement. The terms (specifically term #5) says that we can use your comment.

There is no material difference between this and the terms at LinkedIn, which Brian seems to prefer. There they say that the user grants LinkedIn "worldwide, transferable and sublicensable right to use, copy, modify, distribute, publish, and process, information and content that you provide through our Services, without any further consent, notice and/or compensation to you or others."

As a general rule, I at least provide a "thanks" note in my newsletters when I incorporate comments into a later version of a tip. That's more than LinkedIn would do, based on their own terms.

-Allen

Brian, would this work if I used my ring finger instead of my pinkie?

"So these tips are not party to the terms of excelribbon.tips that state that comments become the property of excelribbon.tips. "

...Maybe I should read things before agreeing to them.

@Brian L.
I have ways. If you want you can email me at brian@canes.net
Regards
Brian

To: Brian L. and others
Please see my extensive posts in the LinkedIn thread http://bit.ly/ConcatIon
Note: you may need to join LinkedIn and you may need to join the ExcelHero group.
There are 4 or so comments by me - they are progressive, with more and more ways to formularize concatenations. There is also a VBA version.
Regards
Brian

Technical note: I am supplying a link, not the actual tips. So these tips are not party to the terms of excelribbon.tips that state that comments become the property of excelribbon.tips

Is using & necessarily an 'easier' way than concatenate?
Suppose you had 5 cells to concatenate.
Type =con Tab
gets you =concatenate(
then holding the Ctrl key down with your left pinkie all the way, left mouse click on A1 then click A2 click A3 click A4 click A5 Enter gets
=CONCATENATE(A1,A2,A3,A4,A5) [note keep ctrl down through enter]
Then CtrlH Find what , Replace with ," ", Replace gives you
=CONCATENATE(A1," ",A2," ",A3," ",A4," ",A5)
Note: in the Find and Replace Dialog Match entire cell contents must be off.
Summary 14 keys 6 clicks: =con tab ctrl hold click click click click click Enter ctrl H , " space " , click
Using &
Summary 12 keys 6 clicks: = Ctrl hold click click click click click Enter Ctrl H , &" space "& click
So & wins by 2 keystrokes
Now suppose you do not have hardcoded separators and 5 cells to concatenate
7/5 =con tab ctrl hold click click click click click Enter
8/6 = ctrl hold click click click click click Enter ctrl H , & , click
So Concatenate wins by 2, a click and a tap
Conclusion - if you use the pinkie hold technique there is little difference in effort either way.
Regards
BBrian

"Flash Fill" is available in Excel 2013 and is a more efficient way of accomplishing this. It is a really nice tool!

There is an article with discussions on the related site http://excel.tips.net/T003062_Concatenating_Ranges_of_Cells.html.

@Brian

Googling around I found this: http://chandoo.org/wp/2014/01/13/combine-text-values-quick-tip/

Nice trick, didn't know about it.

I wonder if there's an easy formula to concatenate a large range of cells? For instance, I have a sheet where I compare the text in about 50 cells in one row to the corresponding 50 cells in another. I used:
=CONCATENATE(A1,A2,A3,...,A50) = CONCATENATE(R1,R2,R3,...,R50)
It works, but it's tedious to type/click. The SUM-like format of CONCATENATE(A1:A50) doesn't work. Of course, a macro would do the trick, but I'd prefer a formula in this case. Ideas?