The EXACT function in Google Sheets is a comparison tool designed to evaluate whether two text strings are identical in terms of both characters and case sensitivity. This function is particularly useful when precise matches are necessary, allowing users to distinguish between similar entries that differ in case or character variations.

Syntax

EXACT(text1, text2)

• text1: The first string to compare.
• text2: The second string to compare.

Example #1

EXACT("Hello", "Hello")

The function checks if both strings are the same. The result is TRUE since both strings match exactly.

Example #2

EXACT("Hello", "hello")

This checks for case sensitivity. The result is FALSE because “H” is not the same as “h”.

Example #3

EXACT("Google", "Google!")

The function evaluates two strings and finds a mismatch due to the extra character. The result is FALSE as the strings are not identical.

Error handling

• VALUE!: Triggered when either input is not valid text.
• N/A: Occurs if either text input is missing or invalid.

Conclusion

In summary, the EXACT function is an effective tool for ensuring precise string comparisons within Google Sheets. By accounting for character matching as well as case sensitivity, it serves as a valuable resource for data validation and checking within spreadsheets.