Text to Columns

 

To separate the contents of one Excel cell into separate columns, you can use the ‘Convert Text to Columns Wizard’. For example, when you want to separate a list of full names into last and first names.

1. Select the range with full names.

Text to Columns Example in Excel

2. On the Data tab, in the Data Tools group, click Text to Columns.

Click Text to Columns

The following dialog box appears.

3. Choose Delimited and click Next.

Convert Text to Columns Wizard - Step 1

4. Clear all the check boxes under Delimiters except for the Comma and Space check box.

5. Click Finish.

Convert Text to Columns Wizard - Step 2

Note: This example has commas and spaces as delimiters. You may have other delimiters in your data. Experiment by checking and unchecking the different check boxes. You get a live preview of how your data will be separated.

Result:

Text to Columns Result