Excel: text in columns - how it works
If you have copied a text in Excel, it is usually in a cell and thus in a column. If the text is to be distributed over several columns, for example the postal code and the city or the first and last name for address data, Excel offers you a convenient tool with which you can do this quickly.
How to quickly split the text into multiple columns
To better illustrate the "Text in columns" function, we write a few words in column A1, which we separate with commas. In column A2 we note some words that are separated only by spaces. Then we mark the two cells.
- Click on the "Data" tab and select the "Text in columns" button in the quick start bar.
- In the "Text Conversion Assistant" menu, activate the "Separate" option under "Data type" and then click "Next".
- For the "separators" select "comma" and "space", since we use both formats in our example. Then go on.
- Finally, select the cell range. By default, it is set to start with the column in which the text is located. However, you can also enter a different starting column, then the original text remains - in our case in A1 and A2 - and is also entered again from the column you entered.
- If you click "Finish", the text is divided into the different cells.
This statement applies to Office 2010.
- In Excel 2003 you will find the "Text in columns" option under the "Data" option (see picture).
Did you know that you can easily swap rows and columns in Excel? We explain how here.