MS Excel: textual functions

The EXACT function in Excel is used to compare two text strings and determine whether they are exactly the same—including case sensitivity. Unlike the regular equality operator (=), which ignores case, EXACT will only return TRUE if both text strings match exactly in content and case.

The DOLLAR function in Excel is used to convert a number into a currency-formatted text string. It doesn't perform calculations, but instead formats numeric values with a currency symbol (based on your system settings), correct decimal places, and thousands separators—making numbers readable and presentation-ready.

The CONCAT function in Excel is used to combine (concatenate) text from multiple cells, ranges, or strings into one continuous value. It is a modern replacement for the older CONCATENATE function, offering improved flexibility—especially the ability to handle ranges.

The CODE function in Excel returns the numeric code for the first character in a text string. In most cases, this will be the ASCII code (on Windows systems) or Unicode code point (on some platforms) of that character. It is often used when analyzing, comparing, or transforming text data—especially in cases where characters must be interpreted programmatically.

The CLEAN function in Excel is designed to remove all non-printable characters from a text string. It is especially useful when working with data imported from external sources such as databases, web applications, or other software systems that might contain hidden characters, line breaks, or control codes that can interfere with formulas, display, or data processing.

The CHAR function in Excel is used to return a character based on the ASCII code (or Unicode code point). It allows users to convert numerical values into characters, which can be particularly useful when you need to work with symbols, special characters, or control characters in your data.

The BAHTTEXT function in Excel is a specialized function that was implemented to serve specific needs within Thailand’s financial and business practices. This function converts numbers into Thai language text, specifically for representing currency amounts in Baht (the official currency of Thailand). The need for this function arose from the practice of writing currency amounts in words for legal documents, checks, invoices, and contracts to prevent fraud and ensure clarity i

In Excel's dynamic formula environment, it’s often necessary to convert arrays into plain text—especially for documentation, exporting, or debugging. The ARRAYTOTEXT function provides a convenient way to do exactly that: it turns array values into a single text string, either in a readable or strict format.