How to Use the PROPER Function in Excel
The PROPER function in Excel and Google Sheets is utilized to capitalize the first letter of each word in a text string. It is particularly useful when dealing with names or text data that are incorrectly capitalized and need to be uniformly formatted.
Syntax:
The syntax for the PROPER function is consistent across both Excel and Google Sheets:
=PROPER(text)text: The text you wish to format so that each word’s initial letter is capitalized.
Examples:
To better understand the PROPER function’s application, here are some practical examples:
| Input | Formula | Output |
|---|---|---|
| john doe | =PROPER(“john doe”) | John Doe |
| mary ann smith | =PROPER(“mary ann smith”) | Mary Ann Smith |
| pETER bROWN | =PROPER(“pETER bROWN”) | Peter Brown |
Usage:
The PROPER function is useful in several situations, such as:
- Standardizing the capitalization of names within a database.
- Correcting text that has been imported from external sources with inconsistent capitalization.
- Enhancing the appearance of text data in reports or presentations.
To apply the PROPER function to a range of cells in Excel or Google Sheets, you can simply use the fill handle or integrate the function with others for more sophisticated text manipulation tasks.
In sum, the PROPER function is an essential tool for ensuring the first letter of each word in a text string is capitalized, thereby improving data consistency and enhancing readability.
More information: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/proper-function-52a5a283-e8b2-49be-8506-b2887b889f94