If you're looking to organize your data and make it easier to read, splitting cells in Excel is the way to go! Splitting cells allows you to separate one cell into multiple cells - perfect for separating first and last names, addresses, or any other information where each value needs its column.
This article will teach you how to split cells in Excel for an organized and accessible dataset. Get ready to say goodbye to messy spreadsheets forever!
What are Split Cells in Excel?
Splitting cells in Excel is a handy and powerful tool. With this feature, you can divide the contents of one cell across two or more cells rather than a standard single cell.
You can split cells horizontally – where the new cells are on the right of the original cell – or vertically, creating new cells beneath it. With split cells, you don’t have words cut off mid-sentence—instead, split cells will get arranged in multiple adjacent cells in a compelling grid format.
Split cells in Excel allow a more organized look in your spreadsheet instead of unreadable and cluttered information. Split cells can also help keep long strings of words from spilling over into other columns and ruining their organization.
How to split cells in Excel with the use of Text to Columns Wizard
Splitting cells in Excel using the Text to Column Wizard is a great way to separate information within cells into multiple columns. This feature discovers where data should be divided and helps ensure accuracy when organizing your Excel worksheet.
It’s a powerful feature that can save you lots of time if you need to sort, organize, or analyze data from external sources.
Example:
Step 1. Select a column you want to split the cells within.
Step 2. Find the Text to Columns under the Data tab.
Step 3. A Convert Text to Columns Wizard opens. Select the Delimited option that best suits your data.
Step 4. In Convert Text to Columns Wizard Step 2 of 3, Choose "Space" as your Delimiter.
Step 5. In Convert Text to Columns Wizard Step 3 of 3, Type your preferred destination cell.
For example: "=$B$2", always remember that leave sufficient space when there are multiple delimiters in your data.
After you click "Finish," your selected cells have split into multiple cells using Text to Columns Wizard in Excel.
Note:Changing the names will not mirror the result column.
How to Split Cells in Excel Using Flash Fill
Split cells in Excel using flash fill is a powerful tool available to software users. When needed, long text entries can easily be divided into separate columns with this tool.
It automatically looks for patterns in data that have been input and uses those to divide any individual cell data into multiple columns quickly. Splitting cells in Excel will save time as it eliminates the need to split every piece of information manually.
Flash fill also ensures that no data is lost and all relevant information remains intact. Given this tool's usefulness, users of Excel should take advantage of it whenever possible.
Example 1:
Step 1. To use the Flash fill option, type the first name in the second column.
Step 2. Drag the fill handle to the last row of the data range.
Step 3. Click the Auto Fill Options.
Step 4. Select Flash Fill, and you will notice that it fills the first names of the first column in column b.
The same steps apply when you want to fill the third column using the Flash Fill Option.
Example 2:
Here's another easy way to use Flash Fill Option.
Step 1. Type the first name.
Step 2. Press CTRL + E to Flash Fill the column.
How to split cells in Excel using Text Functions
A split cell in Excel using text functions is a convenient search function that can help you quickly get the information you need from a text string. Excel functions such as the left, right, and mid functions allow you to search and sort through text strings quickly and easily.
For example, if you have a text string that contains a person’s full name and address, you can use the left function to select just the name portion of the string so that it separates nicely within its cell. Split cells are beneficial for search functions when organizing large data sets; leveraging Excel's text functions makes data extraction even easier.
Example:
Step 1. Figure out the type of split you want to insert into the data. For ease of demonstration, I have chosen an example in which a single space separates the first and last names.
Step 2. Construct a combination to acquire the first name from a given source of SEARCH and LEFT functions.
Type the formula: =LEFT(A2,SEARCH(” “,A2)-1)
Step 3. Select the cell and copy where you type your formula, then drag the cursor down to the last range of your data.
To extract the last names, you need to replicate the same process. However, use the RIGHT function to retrieve data from the tail-end of each string.
Step 1. Type the formula =RIGHT(A2,LEN(A2)-SEARCH(” “,A2)) in cell C2.
Step 2. Select the cell, copy where you type your formula, then drag the cursor down to the last range of your data.
Well done! You have successfully split the first and last names.
It is essential to highlight that the split is dynamic; in other words, when you modify the source data, your results are automatically adjusted.
How to Split Cells in Excel Using Power Query
Example:
Step 1. To begin, select a cell within your data set, then navigate to the ribbon and click Data (tab) > From Table/Range or Data(tab)>From Sheet for more recent versions of Excel.
Step 2. If the cell you picked isn't already part of an Excel table, then a Create Table window will pop up. Ensure that all rows and columns are joint in your selection, and ensure the "My table has headers" option is checked before clicking OK.
Step 3. Open the Power Query editor to reveal all your data, then navigate to Home > Split Column (drop-down) on the ribbon and select By Delimiter to get started.
Step 4. Multiple methods divide cell contents by various positions depending on the length of your text. In our example, both a space and each instance of the separating character make good selections. Click OK to complete.
Step 5. Now, in the data preview window, you can see that the names have got divided into two columns. To make it easier to identify them, double-click on the header and rename it from "First Name" and "Last Name," respectively.
Step 6. Now, it is time to export the data back into Excel. To do this, select Home > Close & Load (drop-down) followed by selecting "Close & Load To..."
Step 7. Select Table from the Import Data dialog box and choose where to load the information. In the example, I have selected an existing sheet at cell C1. Click OK.
The new Power Query data will be included in the Excel cells for easy viewing.
Note:
For new updates to our source cells or additional names, we can click Data > Refresh All, and the outcome will be new!
Following this process will transform your source cells into an Excel table.
Power Query can deliver with its Column from Examples feature if you require more advanced capabilities than simple delimiter-based splitting. Power Query allows sophisticated string manipulation and transformation in a few easy steps.
Conclusion
Now you have four methods to help you split cells in Excel. As you can see, each method has its advantages and purposes, so be sure to choose the one best suited to your needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are split cells in Excel?
Split cells in Excel are a handy feature for sorting and organizing data. With split cells, you can have text in one cell divided across two or more adjacent cells - all of which will be connected correctly to the original cell.
How do I split cells in Excel?
To do this, you must select the cell or cells you want to split and click on ‘Data’ on the menu toolbar. Here, you will find the option ‘Text to columns,’ which allows you to divide your text into separate cells based on specific criteria like a particular character or spacing.
What are some of the benefits of using split cells in Excel?
With split cells, rows and columns are divided into smaller sections to highlight the differences between values in a single cell. This feature allows users to categorize information better while keeping it organized in the same space.
Related Articles:
How to Merge Cells in Excel
How to Combine Cells in Excel
Free Microsoft Excel Tutorial For Beginners
FAQs
How do you split cells quickly in Excel? ›
Split cells
In the table, click the cell that you want to split. On the ribbon, select the Layout tab. Select Split Cells. In the Split Cells dialog, select the number of columns and rows that you want and then click OK.
To divide multiple cells successively, type cell references separated by the division symbol. For example, to divide the number in A2 by the number in B2, and then divide the result by the number in C2, use this formula: =A2/B2/C2.
What is the shortcut to split a cell? ›We can spit a cell with different parameters such as Space, Blank, Commas or any other criteria which breaks a cell into 2 or more cells. This can also be done using short cut keys ALT + A + E simultaneously once we select the data.
How do I split a range of cells in Excel by 1000? ›Divide Numbers With Paste Special
Select the cells which contain the amounts that you want to divide. In the screen shot below, cells C2:C11 are selected. In the Options section, click Divide, then click OK. Each of the selected numbers is automatically divided by 1000.
Division Math Formula
The formula to calculate the division of two numbers is: Dividend ÷ Divisor = Quotient + Remainder. Here, The dividend is the number, which is being divided. The divisor is the number, which divides the number (dividend) into equal parts.
Click the “Data” tab at the top of the Excel Ribbon. Click the “Text to Columns” button in the Data Tools section. In the Convert Text to Columns Wizard, select “Delimited” and then click “Next.” Delimited works great in our example, as the names are separated by commas.
How do I split individual cells in sheets? ›- In Sheets, select the column that contains the data that you want to split.
- Click Data. Split text to columns.
- If you want Sheets to detect when a file is formatted using fixed-width, select Detect automatically.
Set up a routine to split cells
Twice a week often works for most fast-growing cell lines (such as HEK293, which multiplies every 16 hours). So if you, for example, split cells on a Monday diluting them 1:10, you should be able to split on the following Thursday, or, at the latest on Friday.
- Select the cell where you want to put the combined data.
- Type = and select the first cell you want to combine.
- Type & and use quotation marks with a space enclosed.
- Select the next cell you want to combine and press enter. An example formula might be =A2&" "&B2.
You can split and merge cells in a table. Splitting cells is similar to adding a row or column, but it all takes place in one cell instead of a group of cells. Merging cells, however, is similar to deleting a cell and then adjoining it with a neighboring cell.
What is dividing a cell into multiple cells called? ›
There are two types of cell division: mitosis and meiosis. Most of the time when people refer to “cell division,” they mean mitosis, the process of making new body cells. Meiosis is the type of cell division that creates egg and sperm cells.
How do you divide in Excel without using a function? ›- On the Ribbon's Home tab, click the arrow on the Paste button, then click Paste Special. ...
- Next, in the Paste Special dialog box, in the Operation section, click Divide. ...
- Finally, click OK to apply the Paste Special to the selected cells.
Note: By default, Excel uses the comma as the system separator for thousands.
What are the 4 steps of division? ›For long division problems, remember to follow the divide, multiply, subtract, and drop down process until each digit in the dividend has been divided.
What is the divide and rule method? ›Divide and rule (Latin: divide et impera), or divide and conquer, in politics and sociology is gaining and maintaining power by breaking up larger concentrations of power into pieces that individually have less power than the one implementing the strategy.
Which method we use to split the data? ›The simplest and probably the most common strategy to split such a dataset is to randomly sample a fraction of the dataset. For example, 80% of the rows of the dataset can be randomly chosen for training and the remaining 20% can be used for testing.
What is the formula to split Text in Excel? ›In the first empty column, write =SPLIT(B1,"-") , with B1 being the cell you want to split and - the character you want the cell to split on.
What are the two options for separating data using Text to columns in Excel? ›There are two options to use text to columns in Excel. One is using a delimiter where we provide a delimiter as an input such as comma space or hyphen, or we can use a fixed defined width to separate a text in the adjacent columns.
How do I split one cell into multiple rows in sheets? ›- Select cells with the text you want to split. ...
- Click once and you'll see a red line before the characters that will be taken to a new column/row. ...
- Once the positions are set, choose whether to split into rows or columns from the drop-down at the bottom:
Divides text around a specified character or string, and puts each fragment into a separate cell in the row.
What is the purpose of splitting cells? ›
Cell splitting is a means of increasing the capacity of a cellular system by subdividing or splitting cells into two or more smaller cells.
What is the advantage of cell splitting? ›The creation of new smaller cells increases the capacity of the system as a whole. Cell Splitting increases the frequency reuse factor. A higher frequency reuse factor increases the capacity of the cellular system in Cell Splitting. Increases the capacity of the channel considerably.
What is importance of cell splitting? ›It is important for cells to divide so you can grow and so your cuts heal. It is also important for cells to stop dividing at the right time. If a cell can not stop dividing when it is supposed to stop, this can lead to a disease called cancer. Some cells, like skin cells, are constantly dividing.
What does VLOOKUP stand for? ›What is VLOOKUP in Excel? VLOOKUP stands for Vertical Lookup. As the name specifies, VLOOKUP is a built-in Excel function that helps you look for a specified value by searching for it vertically across the sheet.
How do you enter the same data in multiple cells quickly? ›Enter the same data into several cells at the same time
Select the cells into which you want to enter the same data. The cells do not have to be adjacent. In the active cell, type the data, and then press Ctrl+Enter. to automatically fill data in worksheet cells.
CONCAT can join only two things while CONCATENATE can join two or more things.
What tool do you use to split cells in a table? ›- Select the cell that you want to split.
- Select Layout > Split Cells.
- Enter the number of columns or rows that you want to split the selected cell into, and then select OK.
Partitioning makes large tables or indexes more manageable, because partitioning enables you to manage and access subsets of data quickly and efficiently, while maintaining the integrity of a data collection.
What do you understand by merging and splitting cells explain with example? ›Merging combines two or more cells to create a new, larger cell. This is a great way to create a label that spans several columns. For example, here cells A1, B1, and C1 were merged to create the label “Monthly Sales” to describe the information in rows 2 through 7.
Is there a split function in Excel? ›The Microsoft Excel SPLIT function will split a string into substrings based on a delimiter. The result is returned as an array of substrings. The SPLIT function is a built-in function in Excel that is categorized as a String/Text Function. It can be used as a VBA function (VBA) in Excel.
How do I combine multiple cells into one cell with line break? ›
- Select the cell where you want to put the combined data.
- Type =CONCAT(.
- Select the cell you want to combine first. Use commas to separate the cells you are combining and use quotation marks to add spaces, commas, or other text.
- Close the formula with a parenthesis and press Enter.
Definition and Usage
The split() method splits a string into a list. You can specify the separator, default separator is any whitespace. Note: When maxsplit is specified, the list will contain the specified number of elements plus one.
CONCAT can join only two things while CONCATENATE can join two or more things.
What is CONCATENATE in Excel? ›Use CONCATENATE, one of the text functions, to join two or more text strings into one string. Important: In Excel 2016, Excel Mobile, and Excel for the web, this function has been replaced with the CONCAT function.
Is there a quick way to merge cells? ›Merge cells
Click the first cell and press Shift while you click the last cell in the range you want to merge. Important: Make sure only one of the cells in the range has data. Click Home > Merge & Center.