Syntax
TRIM(text)
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| text | Parameter of the TRIM function. |
Examples
Clean up messy imported text
Formula
=TRIM(A2)
Returns: "John Smith" — removes extra spaces from " John Smith "
Fix VLOOKUP failures from spaces
Formula
=VLOOKUP(TRIM(A2), D:E, 2, FALSE)
Returns: the correct lookup result after trimming hidden spaces that were causing #N/A errors
Clean and compare
Formula
=EXACT(TRIM(A2), TRIM(B2))
Returns: TRUE if the two cells match after removing extra spaces from both
Common Errors
#VALUE!
The cell contains an error value. TRIM only works on text strings, not error values like #N/A or #REF!.
Tips
Does not remove non-breaking spaces
Web data often contains non-breaking spaces (char 160). Use SUBSTITUTE(A1, CHAR(160), " ") before TRIM.
TRIM whole column
Apply TRIM to an entire column of imported data before doing lookups or comparisons — hidden spaces are the #1 cause of failed VLOOKUPs.
Combine with CLEAN
=TRIM(CLEAN(A1)) removes both non-printable characters (CLEAN) and extra spaces (TRIM) for thorough data cleaning.
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