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Joining One or More Columns

Combine text from multiple columns into a single column using Excel-compatible CONCAT and CONCATENATE formulas.

Overview​

Text concatenation merges values from two or more columns (or literal text) into a single text string. This is useful for creating full names, addresses, identifiers, labels, and formatted output.

Relevant Formulas​

CONCAT​

Joins text items into one text item. Modern, flexible syntax.

View CONCAT Formula Reference →

CONCATENATE​

Joins several text strings into one. Traditional Excel function.

View CONCATENATE Formula Reference →

Basic Usage​

Simple Concatenation​

=CONCAT([first_name], " ", [last_name])
Result: "John Smith"

Multiple Columns​

=CONCAT([street], ", ", [city], ", ", [state], " ", [zip])
Result: "123 Main St, Springfield, IL 62701"

With CONCATENATE​

=CONCATENATE([first_name], " ", [last_name])
Result: "John Smith"

Common Use Cases​

Full Names​

// First and Last
=CONCAT([first_name], " ", [last_name])

// Last, First format
=CONCAT([last_name], ", ", [first_name])

// With middle initial
=CONCAT([first_name], " ", [middle_initial], ". ", [last_name])

Full Addresses​

// Single line address
=CONCAT([street_address], ", ", [city], ", ", [state], " ", [zip_code])

// With country
=CONCAT([street], ", ", [city], ", ", [state], " ", [zip], ", ", [country])

Product Identifiers​

// SKU with prefix
=CONCAT("SKU-", [category_code], "-", [product_id])

// Part number
=CONCAT([year], "-", [make], "-", [model])

Display Labels​

// Name with title
=CONCAT([title], " ", [first_name], " ", [last_name])

// Price with currency
=CONCAT("$", [price])

// Count with label
=CONCAT([quantity], " items")

Advanced Techniques​

Conditional Concatenation​

// Include middle name only if present
=IF(ISBLANK([middle_name]),
    CONCAT([first_name], " ", [last_name]),
    CONCAT([first_name], " ", [middle_name], " ", [last_name]))

Nested with Other Functions​

// Uppercase full name
=UPPER(CONCAT([first_name], " ", [last_name]))

// Trimmed concatenation
=TRIM(CONCAT([first_name], " ", [last_name]))

// Proper case full address
=PROPER(CONCAT([street], ", ", [city], ", ", [state]))

Multiple Lines​

// Using line break (depends on platform)
=CONCAT([line1], CHAR(10), [line2], CHAR(10), [line3])

Handling NULL Values​

Using COALESCE​

// Provide default for NULL values
=CONCAT(
    [first_name],
    " ",
    COALESCE([middle_name], ""),
    " ",
    [last_name]
)

Conditional NULL Handling​

// Skip NULL middle name gracefully
=IF(ISBLANK([middle_name]),
    CONCAT([first_name], " ", [last_name]),
    CONCAT([first_name], " ", [middle_name], " ", [last_name]))

CONCAT vs. CONCATENATE​

CONCATCONCATENATE
Modern syntaxTraditional
More flexibleFixed arguments
RecommendedLegacy support
Cleaner for many argumentsVerbose with many arguments

Both produce identical results, but CONCAT is generally preferred for new formulas.

Step-by-Step: Creating a Formula Column​

  1. Add New Column - Click "Add Column" in your model
  2. Name the Column - Give it a descriptive name (e.g., full_name)
  3. Enter Formula - Type the CONCAT formula
  4. Reference Columns - Use [column_name] syntax
  5. Preview - Check results in the data grid
  6. Save - Apply the changes

Best Practices​

  1. Include Spaces - Remember to add spaces between values
  2. Handle NULLs - Use COALESCE or IF to handle missing data
  3. Trim First - Use TRIM on source columns if they might have extra spaces
  4. Test Edge Cases - Check results with NULL, empty, and unusual values
  5. Use Proper Case - Consider case conversions for consistency

Performance Considerations​

  • Combine Early - If the combined column is used in filters or joins
  • Avoid Huge Strings - Very long concatenations can impact performance
  • Index Appropriately - Consider indexing if the result is frequently queried

Troubleshooting​

Unexpected Spaces​

// Problem: Extra spaces from NULL columns
=CONCAT([first], " ", [middle], " ", [last])

// Solution: Use TRIM
=TRIM(CONCAT([first], " ", COALESCE([middle], ""), " ", [last]))

NULL Results​

// Problem: NULL if any input is NULL
=CONCAT([a], [b], [c])

// Solution: Use COALESCE
=CONCAT(COALESCE([a], ""), COALESCE([b], ""), COALESCE([c], ""))

For simple concatenation, you can also use:

Additional Formula References​

Additional examples and screenshots will be added soon.