What is TEXTJOIN Formula in Excel?
Introduction to TEXTJOIN Formula in Excel
Microsoft Excel is a powerhouse for data organization, and one of its most useful functions for combining text is the **TEXTJOIN formula in Excel*. In this ultimate guide (2025), we’ll cover syntax, examples, and real-life use cases of the TEXTJOIN function. Introduced in Excel 2016, this function quickly became a favorite among professionals because it simplifies tasks that used to require lengthy formulas or VBA scripts. Whether you’re consolidating survey responses, preparing mailing labels, or simply cleaning up datasets, the TEXTJOIN formula in Excel can save you time and effort.
Why TEXTJOIN Formula is Important for Data Handling
Before TEXTJOIN, users relied heavily on CONCATENATE or & (ampersand) operators. Both of these methods had limitations, such as repeating formulas for every cell and manually handling delimiters like commas or spaces.
TEXTJOIN revolutionized this by:
Allowing users to join text from multiple ranges.
Automatically ignoring empty cells if desired.
Adding a delimiter between each text item with ease.
In short, it makes text management faster, cleaner, and more professional.
You can also check our detailed guide on Excel shortcuts and the XLOOKUP formula for better productivity.
Syntax of TEXTJOIN Formula in Excel
The syntax is straightforward:
Arguments Explained:
Delimiter—The character (space, comma, dash, etc.) used to separate text items.
Ignore_empty—A TRUE/FALSE value:
TRUE = Skips empty cells.
FALSE = Includes empty cells with delimiters.
Text1, Text2, … – The text strings or ranges you want to join.
Basic TEXTJOIN Formula in Excel Examples
Joining Simple Text Strings
=TEXTJOIN(” “, TRUE, “Excel”, “is”, “powerful”)
Breakdown of Arguments:
Delimiter (” “): A single space
" "is used, so each word will be separated by a space.Ignore_empty (TRUE) → Any empty value will be skipped.
Text1, Text2, Text3 … →
"powerful"are the text values to be combined.
Result:
Professional Explanation:
This formula merges the three words into one sentence, placing a space between each word. Since ignore_empty = TRUE, if any of the words were blank, they would simply be skipped without leaving extra spaces.
Practical Use Cases:
Building sentences or product descriptions.
Combining first name, last name, and job title.
Creating clean text for reports by avoiding blanks.
Combining Numbers with TEXTJOIN
TEXTJOIN isn’t just for words. It can join numbers too.
=TEXTJOIN(“-“, TRUE, 101, 202, 303)
Breakdown of Arguments:
Delimiter (“-“) → A hyphen is used so each value will be separated by it.
Ignore_empty (TRUE) → If any value is blank, it will be skipped.
Text1, Text2, Text3 … → The numbers
101,202, and303are combined.
Result:
Professional Explanation:
This formula concatenates multiple numeric values into a single text string, inserting a hyphen between them. The ignore_empty = TRUE ensures that any missing numbers would not leave extra separators in the result.
Business Use Cases:
Creating invoice numbers like
INV-101-202-303.Formatting part numbers or product codes.
Generating reporting IDs where values need to be combined into a structured format.
Advanced TEXTJOIN Function Use Cases in Excel
Using TEXTJOIN with Cell Ranges
If you have names in cells A1:A5, you can use
=TEXTJOIN(“, “, TRUE, A1:A5)
This combines all names into a single cell separated by commas.
Combining TEXTJOIN with IF Function
You can make conditional joins. For example:
=TEXTJOIN(“, “, TRUE, IF(B1:B10=”Yes”, A1:A10, “”))
This joins only the values in column A where column B equals “Yes.”
Dynamic Ranges with TEXTJOIN
You can create formulas that automatically expand or shrink depending on data, making reports more flexible.
TEXTJOIN vs CONCATENATE vs CONCAT
Limitations of CONCATENATE
Doesn’t support ranges directly.
Requires manual delimiters.
Advantages of TEXTJOIN
Accepts ranges directly.
Handles delimiters automatically.
Ignores empty cells if required.
Common Errors in TEXTJOIN Formula
#VALUE! Error Explained
Occurs when incompatible data types are used.
Empty Cells and Delimiter Issues
If ignore_empty is set to FALSE, extra delimiters appear.
According to Wikipedia, Excel is one of the most widely used spreadsheet software.
TEXTJOIN Formula with Real-Life Examples
- Creating Mailing Labels => Combines first name, last name, and address into one label.
=TEXTJOIN(” “, TRUE, A2, B2, C2)
- Joining Names with Commas => Perfect for creating attendance lists.
=TEXTJOIN(“, “, TRUE, A1:A10)
Summarizing Survey Responses
If multiple users select preferences, you can merge all their answers into one cell using TEXTJOIN.
TEXTJOIN with Array Formulas
TEXTJOIN works seamlessly with dynamic arrays in Excel 365, making it more powerful for summarizing large datasets.
Best Practices for Using TEXTJOIN Formula
Always set ignore_empty = TRUE to avoid messy outputs.
Use named ranges for clarity.
Combine with FILTER, IF, or UNIQUE for advanced reports.
Alternatives to TEXTJOIN in Excel
Power Query for advanced text transformations.
VBA macros for automation.
CONCAT function for simpler joins.
TEXTJOIN in Excel 365 vs Excel 2019 vs Excel 2016
Excel 2016—First version with TEXTJOIN.
Excel 2019 – Full support but no dynamic arrays.
Excel 365 – Best experience with dynamic arrays and integration with FILTER/UNIQUE.
Important Questions
Q1. What is the main purpose of TEXTJOIN in Excel?
A1. It combines multiple text strings or ranges into one cell with a delimiter.
Q2. Can TEXTJOIN handle empty cells?
A2. Yes, you can choose to ignore them by setting the second argument to TRUE.
Q3. Is TEXTJOIN available in all versions of Excel?
A3. No, it’s available in Excel 2016 and later.
Q4. How is TEXTJOIN different from CONCAT?
A4. CONCAT combines text but doesn’t allow delimiters or ignoring empty cells.
Q5. Can I use TEXTJOIN with numbers?
A5. Yes, it works with both text and numbers.
Q6. Why is TEXTJOIN not working in my Excel?
A6. Likely because you’re using Excel 2013 or earlier, which doesn’t support this function.
Q7. Can TEXTJOIN combine text from multiple sheets in Excel?
Q8. Is TEXTJOIN available in Excel Online?
Conclusion
In conclusion, the TEXTJOIN formula in Excel (2025)** is a game-changer for data professionals. Whether you’re creating mailing labels, survey summaries, or dynamic reports, TEXTJOIN makes Excel work faster and cleaner compared to CONCATENATE or CONCAT. It simplifies combining text from multiple cells, handles delimiters effortlessly, and saves valuable time. From basic joining tasks to advanced dynamic reports, TEXTJOIN is versatile and reliable. If you’re still using CONCATENATE, it’s time to upgrade your skills and embrace TEXTJOIN for a more efficient workflow.
To dive deeper into Excel functions, you can also check Microsoft’s official documentation: TEXTJOIN Function in Excel