# Split text to columns

Row Zero makes it easy to split text to columns using the built-in tool. Here's how:

1. Select the column you'd like to split
2. Go to **Data** in the header menu and select **Split text to columns**.  

   ![split text to columns in a spreadsheet](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/2w8agf2t/production/064ae2b0e2199965fcc3329883cd5776b2e187c3-1175x461.png)

3. Select your separator, verify the preview looks good, and then click **Split values**.  

![CSV split text to columns in a spreadsheet](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/2w8agf2t/production/2cfa54d7be5a6f791c48e6d816bbec35bd1c44eb-1911x848.png)

The text in your column will now be split into multiple columns according to the separator. Note you can set a **Custom** separator, so you can split text to columns in a myriad of ways.

### Common Use Cases for Text to Columns

1. Parsing unparsed CSV data
    - Splitting text to columns is especially useful if you have a CSV file that imports but fails to parse correctly and has all of the data is in one column as shown in the example above.
2. Splitting full names
    - From: Bill Smith
    - To: Bill | Smith
3. Breaking apart addresses
    - From: 123 Main St, Boston, MA
    - To: 123 Main St | Boston | MA
4. Separating dates and times:
    - From: 2025-03-25 14:30
    - To: 2025-03-25 | 14:30
5. Unpacking values with custom separators:
    - From: [ken@rowzero.io](mailto:ken@rowzero.io)
    - To: ken | rowzero.io

### Related parsing functions

There are a number of related parsing functions that may be useful in these situations including [TEXTBEFORE](/docs/spreadsheet-functions#TEXTBEFORE), [TEXTAFTER](/docs/spreadsheet-functions#TEXTAFTER), [LEFT](/docs/spreadsheet-functions#LEFT), and [RIGHT](/docs/spreadsheet-functions#RIGHT). If you need to do the reverse and concatenate a list of values into a single string with a specified delimiter, use [TEXTJOIN](/docs/spreadsheet-functions#TEXTJOIN) or [CONCAT](/docs/spreadsheet-functions#CONCAT).