The REPLACE function replaces part of the text string with new text based on the position and the number of characters you specified.
Formula:
=REPLACE(old_text, start_num, num_chars, new_text)
Explanations:
- Old text is required, the text string that you want to be replaced;
- Start_num is required, the start point you want to be replaced in the old text string;
- Num_chars is required, the number of characters you want to be replaced in the old text string;
- New_text is required, the text that will replace the old characters.
Cautions:
- Spaces are counted as characters.
- The new text needs a quotation sign.
- When the num_chars is longer than the number of characters after the starting point, all characters after the starting point will be replaced by the new text string.
- When Start_num is less than 1 (e.g., -5), the result returns the error of #VALUE!
Example: Change letters "replace" in the text string "how to use replace function" with "REPLACE".
=REPLACE(A1,12,7, "REPLACE")
The result returns "how to use REPLACE function".
