The GOOGLE SHEET function JOIN serves as an essential tool for combining the contents of one or more arrays into a single string, separated by a specified delimiter. This function is particularly useful for consolidating data from multiple cells into a single cell, making it easier to read or present.

Syntax

JOIN(delimiter, value1, [value2, ...])

• delimiter: A string that specifies the character(s) used to separate the concatenated values.
• value1: The first value or range to join.
• value2, …: Additional values or ranges to join (optional).

Example #1

JOIN(", ", A1:A3)

This function call concatenates the values in cells A1, A2, and A3 with a comma and space as the separator. For example, if A1 contains ‘Apple’, A2 contains ‘Banana’, and A3 contains ‘Cherry’, the result would be: ‘Apple, Banana, Cherry’.

Example #2

JOIN(" - ", C1:C5)

Here, the function combines the values from C1 to C5 with ‘ – ‘ as the separator. If C1 is ‘Monday’, C2 is ‘Tuesday’, and C3 is ‘Wednesday’, the output might be ‘Monday – Tuesday – Wednesday’.

Example #3

JOIN("; ", "2023", "Q1", "Results")

In this call, the function joins the strings ‘2023’, ‘Q1’, and ‘Results’ using ‘; ‘ as the delimiter. The result would be ‘2023; Q1; Results’.

Error handling

• ERROR: ‘Invalid argument type’: This error occurs when one of the inputs is not a valid string or range.
• ERROR: ‘Too many arguments’: Triggered when more than 30 values are provided to the function.
• ERROR: ‘Value not found’: Happens if a specified range is empty or contains no valid data to join.

Conclusion

Overall, the JOIN function in Google Sheets is a powerful way to gather and present data from various sources into a coherent single string. By using different delimiters, users have the flexibility to format their data according to their needs, making it an indispensable feature for anyone seeking to streamline their spreadsheets effectively.