How To Split Cells in Google Sheets: Three Easy Methods

Would you like to learn how to split cells in Google Sheets?

You might need to split data into cells when using Google Sheets. Whether working with names, addresses, or any data separated by commas or spaces, knowing how to split cells can save time and make your data more organized.

This article will explain several easy methods for splitting cells in Google Sheets, ensuring you can choose the best approach for your needs.

What Does It Mean To Split Cells?

Splitting cells in Google Sheets means taking the content of a single cell and dividing it into multiple cells. It's useful when you combine data in one cell, such as a list of names, addresses, or other information separated by a delimiter.

Imagine you have a cell containing "Chris Miller, 123 Saint Paul St, New York, USA". You should split this cell into separate cells for the name, address, city, and country. Splitting cells makes your data more organized and easier to work with.

Why Split Cells in Google Sheets?

Splitting cells in Google Sheets can greatly improve how you manage and interact with your data. Here are some key benefits of splitting cells:

1. Improved data organization.

Splitting combined data into individual cells makes sorting, filtering, and analyzing much easier. For instance, if you have a cell with a full address, splitting it into separate columns for the street, city, and country allows you to sort your data by city or filter it by country. This level of organization can make your data handling more efficient and effective.

2. Enhanced readability.

Data is much clearer and more accessible when divided into logical parts. Instead of seeing a jumble of information in one cell, you can view each piece of data in its cell. As mentioned, a cell containing "Chris Miller, 13 Wall St, New York, USA" can be split into separate cells for the name, street address, city, and country. Using this separation technique to divide data correctly makes the information easier to read and understand.

3. Simplified data processing.

Working with individual data elements is often more straightforward than handling combined data. When each piece of information has its cell, you can apply functions and formulas more easily.

For example, you can easily calculate the total number of people living in different cities in your spreadsheet when you split them. The city names in their cells allow you to use formulas to count occurrences or perform other calculations directly on that data.

Read more: How to multiply in Google Sheets.

Different Ways To Split Cells In Google Sheets

The are several ways you can split cell references in Google Sheets. Here they are:

Method 1: Using the SPLIT function in Google Sheets.

The SPLIT function in Google Sheets is a simple and effective way to divide the contents of a cell into multiple cells based on a specific delimiter. The following are easy-to-following steps to use the SPLIT function:

Step 1: Select the cell.

Start by clicking the cell that contains the data you want to split.

Step 2: Enter the SPLIT function.

In a new cell where you want the split data to appear, type the following Google Sheets formula:

=SPLIT(A2, " ")

Replace A2 with the reference of the cell you want to split and replace " " with the delimiter you want. For example:

• Use "," for a comma.
• Use " " for a space.

Step 3: Press enter.

Once you press Enter, the content of the selected cell will be split into multiple resulting cells based on the delimiter you specified.

Example.

Suppose you have a cell A1 containing "Paris Jameson, 43 Wallace Main St, Ohio, USA". To split this cell into separate cells for the name, address, city, and country, you would use the following formula in a new cell:

=SPLIT(A1, ",")

This will separate "Paris Jameson," "43 Wallace Main St", "Ohio," and "USA" into individual cells.

Method 2: Using Text to Columns in Google Sheets.

The Text to Columns feature in Google Sheets provides an easy way to split cell contents, particularly useful when handling data lists. This method divides cell contents into separate columns based on a specified delimiter. Below are steps to use text in multiple columns in Google Sheets:

Step 1: Select the range.

Begin by highlighting the cells that contain the data you want to split.

Step 2: Go to the Data Menu.

On the Google Sheets menu, click the "Data" menu located at the top of the Google Sheets interface.

Step 3: Choose split text to columns.

Select the option "Split text to columns" from the dropdown menu.

Step 4: Select a separator.

A separator dropdown will appear. Click it to choose the delimiter you want to split the cells. You can select from common delimiters such as:

• Comma
• Space
• Semicolon
• Period
• Custom (you can specify any character as the delimiter)

Example.

If you have a column of cells with names and addresses like "Clark Peterson, 98 Mark Johnson St, Illinois, USA". To split this into separate columns for the name, address, city, and country:

1. Highlight the range of cells containing your data.
2. Go to the "Data" menu.
3. Select "Split text to columns".
4. Choose the comma (,) as the separator.

The data will automatically split into separate columns based on the commas.

Method 3: Using ARRAYFORMULA with SPLIT in Google Sheets

When you need to split a range of cells in Google Sheets, combining ARRAYFORMULA with SPLIT can save you much time and effort. This method allows you to apply the split function across multiple cells simultaneously. Below are steps to use ARRAYFORMULA with SPLIT:

Step 1: Select a new range.

Click the first cell where you want the split data to appear.

Step 2: Enter the ARRAYFORMULA.

In the selected cell, type the following formula:

=ARRAYFORMULA(SPLIT(A1:A2, ","))

Replace A1:A with the actual range of cells you want to split. Also, replace " " with your desired delimiter. For example, use "," for a comma or " " for a space.

Step 3: Press enter.

Once you press "Enter", the content of the selected range will be split into multiple cells based on the delimiter you specified.

Example

Suppose you have a column of data in cells A1:A10 that looks like this:

James Millner, 23 Perkins St

Helen Paul, 46 Ridge Rd.

To split each cell at the comma, follow these steps:

1. Select the cell where you want the split data to start.
2. Enter the formula:
3. =ARRAYFORMULA(SPLIT(A1:A2, ","))
4. Press Enter.

The data in the range A1:A10 will now be split into separate columns, with "James Millner" and "Helen Paul" in one column and "23 Perkins St" and "46 Ridge Rd" in another.

Conclusion

Splitting cells in Google Sheets is valuable for organizing your data efficiently. Whether you use the SPLIT function, Text to Columns, or ARRAYFORMULA, these methods will help you manage your data better. Practice these techniques, and you'll be a Google Sheets pro soon!

Visit Simple Sheets for more easy-to-follow guides and examples, and remember to visit the related articles section of this blog post.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean to split cells in Google Sheets?

Splitting cells in Google Sheets means dividing the content of a single cell into multiple cells based on a specific delimiter like a comma, space, or any other character.

Why would I need to split cells in Google Sheets?

Splitting cells helps in organizing data better. It makes sorting, filtering, analyzing, and processing information easier. For example, splitting a full name and address into separate cells makes working with each piece of information easier.

Can I split a range of cells at once?

You can split a range of cells simultaneously using the ARRAYFORMULA combined with SPLIT. For example, =ARRAYFORMULA(SPLIT(A1:A10, " ")) will split the range A1 based on the specified delimiter.

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