Excel EXACT Function - Easy Excel Tutorial

Introduction:

The Microsoft Excel EXACT function compares two strings and returns TRUE if both values are the same. Otherwise, it will return FALSE.

The EXACT function is a built-in function in Excel that is categorized as a String/Text Function. It can be used as a worksheet function (WS) in Excel. As a worksheet function, the EXACT function can be entered as part of a formula in a cell of a worksheet.

In short, The Excel EXACT function compares two text strings, considering upper- and lower-case characters, and returns TRUE if they are the same, and FALSE if not. EXACT is case-sensitive.

Syntax

=EXACT (Text1, Text2)

Only two items of text can be compared.

Arguments

•             text1 - The first text string to compare.

•             text2 - The second text string to compare.

Formatting

•             If the two items of text are exactly the same the result of TRUE will be shown.

•             If there is any difference in the two items of text the result of FALSE will be shown.

Usage notes

Compare two text strings in Excel for Office 365, Excel 2019, Excel 2016, Excel 2013, Excel 2011 for Mac, Excel 2010, Excel 2007, Excel 2003, Excel XP, Excel 2000

The EXACT function compares two text strings in a case-sensitive manner. If the two strings are the same, EXACT returns TRUE. If the two strings are not the same (considering upper and lower case) EXACT returns FALSE.

Example:

Here is a simple password checking formula.

You need to guess the correct password.

The password is the name of a color, either red blue or green.

The case of the password is important.

The =EXACT() function is used to check your guess.

(To stop you from cheating, the correct password has been entered as a series of =CHAR() functions, which use the ANSI number of the characters rather than the character itself!)

It’s still very easy though.