WRONG RESULTWrong result
Check that every range starts and ends on the same rows, and that numbers are stored as numbers.
TEXT · GOOGLE SHEETS
Verified by JosephineReviewed July 25, 2026✓
SUBSTITUTE
replace matching text inside a string.
Use SUBSTITUTE to replace separators inside text. This guide shows the exact structure, a working example and the mistakes most likely to break it.
Verified by JosephineReviewed July 25, 2026✓THE FORMULA
=SUBSTITUTE(text_to_search, search_for, replace_with, [occurrence_number])A
text_to_searchsource text
B
search_fortext to find
C
replace_withreplacement
D
occurrence_numberoptional single match
TRY IT YOURSELFChange the sheet.
Change the sheet.
Watch the answer update.
Edit any highlighted cell below. The example recalculates immediately.
| A · TEXT | |
|---|---|
| 2 | |
| 3 | |
| 4 | |
| 5 |
RESULT
INV/2026/104Updates liveTry changing a value above. This example runs entirely in your browser.
IN PLAIN ENGLISHHow the formula
How the formula
thinks.
- 01
text_to_searchsource text
- 02
search_fortext to find
- 03
replace_withreplacement
- 04
occurrence_numberoptional single match
COMMON FIXESWhen SUBSTITUTE
When SUBSTITUTE
doesn’t behave.
FORMULA PARSE ERRORFormula parse error
Check commas, quotation marks and closing parentheses. Your locale may use semicolons instead of commas.
UNEXPECTED BLANKSUnexpected blanks
Test the source cells for hidden spaces, empty strings and inconsistent data types.