What does the CONCATENATE function do?

The CONCATENATE function in Excel is designed specifically for joining two or more text strings into one single string. This function enables users to combine textual data from different cells or input strings directly into a singular output. For instance, if you have first names and last names in separate cells, you can use the CONCATENATE function to merge them into a full name format, resulting in a single string that encompasses both the first and last names.

This function can accommodate multiple arguments, allowing you to concatenate more than just two strings at a time, making it incredibly versatile for creating cohesive data outputs. Although newer versions of Excel have introduced the CONCAT and TEXTJOIN functions which enhance this capability with additional features, understanding CONCATENATE remains fundamental for managing strings in Excel.

The other options describe functions that perform different actions: separating text, counting characters, and replacing characters within strings, which are not the purpose of the CONCATENATE function.