Combine text with a date or time

Use the TEXT function and the & (ampersand) operator to do this task.

Worksheet example

The example may be easier to understand if you copy it to a blank worksheet.

How?

  1. Create a blank workbook or worksheet.
  2. Select the example in the Help topic. Do not select the row or column headers.

    Selecting an example from Help

    Selecting an example from Help

  3. Press CTRL+C.
  4. In the worksheet, select cell A1, and press CTRL+V.
  5. To switch between viewing the results and viewing the formulas that return the results, press CTRL+` (grave accent), or on the Tools menu, point to Formula Auditing, and then click Formula Auditing Mode.
 
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A
Data
Billing Date
5-Jun-2007
Formula Description (Result)
="Statement date: "&TEXT(A3, "d-mmm-yyyy") Combine text in a formula with a date (Statement date: 5-Jun-2007)
=A2&" "&TEXT(A3, "mmm-dd-yyyy") Combine text and date from difference cells into one cell (Billing Date Jun-05-2007)

Note   To copy the number format code used in a cell into the formula, select the cell, then click Cells on the on the Format menu. Click the Number tab. In the Category box, click Custom, and then copy the contents of the Type box.

Functions details

TEXT