Quickly combine text in multiple cells using this trick! [Formulas]

Share

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn

Ever wondered how to go from a bunch of cells with text to one big combined text? Like this:

Combine text values from multiple cells to single value using CONCATENATE & TRANSPOSE Functions - Excel trick

Well, there is a simple trick, shared by Grant with us in the What is the coolest Excel trick you learned in 2013? post.

Quick and easy way to combine bunch of text values

  1. Let say the cells you want to combine are in B2:B19.
  2. In a blank cell, where you want to concatenate all the values type
  3. =CONCATENATE(TRANSPOSE(B2:B19))
  4. Don’t press enter yet.
  5. Select the TRANSPOSE(B2:B19) portion and press F9. (related: debugging formulas using F9 key)
  6. This replaces the TRANSPOSE(B2:B19) with its result
  7. Now remove curly brackets { and }
  8. Enter
  9. Done!

See this demo to understand.

Combine text values using CONCATENATE, TRANSPOSE and F9 key - demo

Bonus tricks

  1. If you cannot use F9 for any reason, use CTRL+=
  2. If you want to add a delimiter (like space or comma) after each item in the text, you can use TRANSPOSE(B2:B19 & ” “) or  TRANSPOSE(B2:B19 & “,”)
  3. If the range you want to concatenate is across columns (Say A1:K1), then you can skip the TRANSPOSE formula and write =CONCATENATE(A1:k1), Select A1:K1 and press F9, remove {}s.

Keep in mind

Since F9 replaces formulas with values, if your original data changes, then you must re-write the CONCATENATE(TRANSPOSE(…)) again.

If you would rather keep the formulas alive, then use CONCAT() UDF. It takes a range and a delimiter and spits out combined text with ease.

More on dealing with text using Excel

Here are a few more tips on working with text values in Excel.

Thank you Grant

Thanks Grant for sharing this trick with all of us. It is a time saver for sure.

If you like this tip, say thanks to Grant. Also, in the comments, tell us how you combine text values and what other tricks you use.

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn

Share this tip with your colleagues

Excel and Power BI tips - Chandoo.org Newsletter

Get FREE Excel + Power BI Tips

Simple, fun and useful emails, once per week.

Learn & be awesome.

Welcome to Chandoo.org

Thank you so much for visiting. My aim is to make you awesome in Excel & Power BI. I do this by sharing videos, tips, examples and downloads on this website. There are more than 1,000 pages with all things Excel, Power BI, Dashboards & VBA here. Go ahead and spend few minutes to be AWESOME.

Read my storyFREE Excel tips book

Overall I learned a lot and I thought you did a great job of explaining how to do things. This will definitely elevate my reporting in the future.
Rebekah S
Reporting Analyst
Excel formula list - 100+ examples and howto guide for you

From simple to complex, there is a formula for every occasion. Check out the list now.

Calendars, invoices, trackers and much more. All free, fun and fantastic.

Advanced Pivot Table tricks

Power Query, Data model, DAX, Filters, Slicers, Conditional formats and beautiful charts. It's all here.

Still on fence about Power BI? In this getting started guide, learn what is Power BI, how to get it and how to create your first report from scratch.

27 Responses to “How to Embed Youtube videos in to Excel Workbooks?”

  1. Vlad says:

    Thank you!!
    The trick is to get that URL for video. Some videos have this feature disabled... hmm...

  2. Fred says:

    very cool. how did you record what you do on Excel? it didn't seem like you was using a camcorders.

  3. Robert says:

    This is a great tip. Is it possible to insert a PDF on an excel worksheet? I usually receive quotations in pdf format, and would like to show the quote on a worksheet, rather than using hyperlinks. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

  4. Gregory says:

    Your instructions didn't work for me, ether in Excel 2010 or 2007, and I tried several times, following the instructions very carefully and to the letter.

    What I found out is that, for some odd reason, copying the YouTube URL then adding the ?fs=1&hl=en_US to the end would not work at all for me.

    But if I went to the Embed code in YouTube and copied value parameter (minus quotes) and pasted it into the movie property, the movie would play. The Embed code value parameter includes the link and the extra bit you included at the end. No need to copy that as an extra step.

    • West says:

      Best feedback on here. Worked like a charm after removing extra YT code. Thanks..

    • Sonu says:

      @Gregory,
      Thanks your instructions.
      I have carefully followed the Instructions mentioned by you and still i am unable to do embed the video in excel.
       
      Please help and your immedate reply will be higly appreceiable.
       
      Regards
      Sonu Monga
      A Chartered Accountant
       

      • HARSHUL says:

        If you are using excel 2010 or higher. then there is nothing like Shockwave flash player.
        In that case you have to use windows media player.
        There is a control naming Windows Media Player in that list.
        Insert that contol and then open properties and insert link in URL.
        It will work.

    • Sonu says:

      @Gregory,
      Thanks your instructions.
      I have carefully followed the Instructions mentioned by you and still i am unable to do embed the video in excel.
       
      Please help and your immedate reply will be higly appreceiable.
       
      Regards
      Sonu Monga
      Chartered Accountant

  5. vlad says:

    It wouldn't play because you need to indicate the exact location of flash file....by 'Embedding' the file, you get the the exact URL, so it can be played....some videos can't be 'embedded' that's why it won't work....

  6. Jason says:

    My developer tools does not list a control for "Shockwave flash object". Where/How do I find it?

  7. modeste says:

    Hi Chandoo,

    why don't use OCX Window media player ???
    you can play your own local video or music
    just indicate exact location (Full path or URL)
    i.e :
    C:\Users\Public\Music\Sample Music\Kalimba.mp3
    C:\Users\Public\Videos\Sample Videos\Wildlife.wmv

    with macro and userform :
    Sub PlayMedia()
    On Error Resume Next
    UserForm1.WindowsMediaPlayer1.URL = ThisWorkbook.Path & "/" & ActiveCell.Value
    ' ----- or
    ' ----- UserForm1.WindowsMediaPlayer1.URL = Exact location
    End Sub

  8. Very cool. I also could not get the instructions to work, but was able to use Gregory's suggestion about the embed code. Thanks for posting!

  9. Maria says:

    Thanks Chandoo. This is very cool. I was able to make it work using the embed code copying from http: up to _US as you indicated. This is a great way to provide additional training or message as you package your deliverable.

  10. [...] Trying to become a bit flashier with your dashboards? Maybe you’re just looking to include additional material. Take a look at this quick tool to embed YouTube videos in excel workbooks. [...]

  11. Clarity says:

    Hi Chandoo,

    Excellent tip. Very useful.

    Is there anyway to link the path in the properties to a cell value so that the user can select the video from a drop down and then have the video play?

  12. Nav says:

    nothing happend in Embed Youtube videos in to Excel Workbooks, it shows only white blank screen.

  13. nihal says:

    Hi Chandoo, How Do I put more than one URL in movie field?

  14. Steve says:

    Hi Chandoo,
    very good tip.
    But how do I start the embeded video in an xlsm file once the tab is selected or through VBA programming?
    Appreciating your answer
    Steve

  15. KAMALAKAR says:

    Query:
    I have created 4 sheets excel file, but when i print this file to PDF it generates two sheets one PDF and two Sheets one PDF … can i know the setting which i had to change. because i want all 4 sheets in one PDF
    while Printing i did setting as "Print Entire Workbook"
    Awaiting for your reply.

  16. Brent says:

    Help!! THis works great, but I'm trying to use VBA to change the URL, which I can do. The problem I am having is getting it to play via VBA.

    The object has both .play and .playing = true properties, but neither will actually play the video after updating the .movie url. The correct video appears within the object, but I can't get it to play from VBA... which I really need it to do.. Thoughts?

  17. biljo says:

    Hello

    Go to Developerr tab and select more control then find windows media player just click it.

    after that you have to right click on the embeded object and select properties there you need to add your video file path.(dont forget to include extension like .avi, .mov etc.) in URL field. Then Press Alt+11 and deselct design mode. Once you close the module your video start playing.....

  18. Rob G says:

    For the life of me, I cannot get this to work. I have followed Chandoos instructions to the letter and also tried using the embed code as Gregory suggested, all I get is a blank white box where the video should be. Is there any other reason that this might not work? Flash version perhaps? Quite frustrating.

  19. Mark says:

    Hi I was wondering if was a way after adding a video if one could save to HTML format and it would work?

  20. Yatin says:

    Hi Chandoo,
    This is very helpful, however, is there a way to auto-play the embedded youtube video as soon as somebody opens the excel file? Can you share the macro for the same?

  21. nonsofar13 says:

    Hi,

    Very cool, how is it possible to start automatically the video when the excel sheet is open?

    I would like to start the video when i open the worksheet :).

    Best regards.

  22. Yasser says:

    Hello
    When trying this method, I got Flash-embedded videos are no longer supported. Is there a solution for this problem?

Leave a Reply