While Microsoft Excel is popular among businesses and enterprises, most users stick with Google Sheets due to its ease of use, seamless sharing, and web-based cross-platform availability.Google Sheets is packed with advanced functions, and one such trick is the ability to split text into columns. Whether you use Google’s spreadsheet software on a desktop, Mac, or atop Chromebook, use the steps below to split names, email addresses, website URLs, and any data into relevant columns in Google Sheets.
You can always manually create new columns in the spreadsheet and split text in them. But it’s time-consuming and unproductive when you have hundreds of rows to deal with. Google Sheets offers a built-in way to split any text into columns. Let’s check it in action.
How to insert and delete rows, columns, and cells in Google Sheets
Making way for new data and getting rid of the old
Split the full name into first and last names in different columns in Google Sheets
When creating a user database for a specific reason, you may want to split the first and last names for a detailed analysis. Google Sheets is smart enough to recognize the space between first and last names and create two columns.
Google Sheets overrides the original data. If you want to use full names later, copy the rows, paste them to another column or sheet, and run theSplit text to columnsfunction.
Google Sheets creates a static result from your data. So, if you update the original dataset, the software won’t reflect the same in the split column.
Google Sheets considers each space character as a separator. When you accidentally type a name with a double space in between, Google Sheets create three columns for it. If you notice three columns for specific names, remove the double space between the first and last names and try again.
Apart from Space, the default Separator tool can also split the text by comma, semicolon, and full stop. It depends on the type of data you are dealing with in Google Sheets.
Extract domain names from URLs in Google Sheets
Do you have a database of website URLs in Google Sheets? You need to create a custom rule to split the domain name from it into a column. Here’s what you’ll do:
The trick above only works when website URLs are in a specific format (www.example.com). Use the trick below if you have website data inhttps://format.
You may notice an empty column here. That’s because every forward slash is considered a separator. To remove the empty column, type//in the custom field.
Split the email address into the username and domain name in Google Sheets
When you have several email addresses in a spreadsheet, use the steps below to split them in no time.
There is no way to split the text into columns on Google Sheets mobile and tablet apps. You must use the web version to complete the job.
Use Power Tools to split the text into columns Google Sheets
Use the Power Tools add-on if you want more control over splitting text into columns in Google Sheets. It’s one of thebest Google Sheets add-onsto elevate your experience. Follow the steps below to check it in action.
The Google Sheets extension also offers a dedicated tool that splits the date and time.
Improve your productivity with Google Sheets
The built-in Split text to columns is a neat function to save productive hours in Google Sheets. However, the entire experience isn’t perfect. If you frequently run into crashing, spreadsheets not loading, denied access, and other issues, read our dedicated guide tofix common Google Sheets problemson the go.
