Page 443 - Excel 2013 All-in-One For Dummies

Using text functions
Text functions found on the Text command button’s drop-down menu on the Ribbon’s Formulas tab (Alt+MT) include two types of functions: functions such as VALUE, TEXT, and DOLLAR that convert numeric text entries into numbers and numeric entries into text, and functions such as UPPER, LOWER, and PROPER that manipulate the strings of text themselves.
Many times, you need to use the text functions when you work with data from other programs. For example, suppose that you purchase a target client list on disk, only to discover that all the information has been entered in all uppercase letters. In order to use this data with your word processor’s mail merge feature, you would use Excel’s PROPER function to convert the entries so that only the initial letter of each word is in uppercase.
Text functions such as the UPPER, LOWER, and PROPER functions all take
a single text argument that indicates the text that should be manipulated. The UPPER function converts all letters in the text argument to uppercase. The LOWER function converts all letters in the text argument to lowercase. The PROPER function capitalizes the first letter of each word as well as any other letters in the text argument that don’t follow another letter, and changes all other letters in the text argument to lowercase.
Figure 6-5 illustrates a situation in which you would use the PROPER function. Here, both last and first name text entries have been made in all uppercase letters. Follow these steps for using the PROPER function to convert text entries to the proper capitalization:
1. Position the cell cursor in cell C3 and then click the Text command button on the Ribbon’s Formulas tab (or press Alt+MT) and then choose PROPER from its drop-down menu.
The Function Arguments dialog box for the PROPER function opens with the Text box selected.
2. Click cell A3 in the worksheet to insert A3 in the Text box of the Function Arguments dialog box and then click OK to insert the PROPER function into cell C3.
Excel closes the Insert Function dialog box and inserts the formula =PROPER(A3) in cell C3, which now contains the proper capitalization of the last name Aiken.
3. Drag the Fill handle in the lower-right corner of cell C3 to the right to cell D3 and then release the mouse button to copy the formula with the PROPER function to this cell.
Much Ado about Text 425
Book III Chapter 6
Lookup, Information, and Text Formulas