Splitting Text with Text to Columns

When working with text data, you will often encounter situations where multiple pieces of information are stored in a single cell. For example, a full name might contain both first and last name, or a product code might include several parts combined together.

While this may look convenient, it makes data harder to analyze and process. In most cases, it's better to separate such values into different columns.

Let's consider a simple example:

Text to Columns Tool

To solve this, Excel provides the Text to Columns feature.

It allows you to split text into multiple columns based on a delimiter — a character that separates parts of the text.

A delimiter can be a space, comma, dash or any other symbol.

Steps

• Select the column you want to split;
• Go to Data → Text to Columns;
• Choose Delimited;
• Select the delimiter (for example, Space);
• Finish the process.

Excel will automatically place the split values into new columns.

Split the Full Name column into two separate columns: First Name, Last Name.

Use the Text to Columns tool with a space as the delimiter.

Go to Data → Text to Columns, choose Delimited, and select Space as the delimiter.