---
title: Concatenate column
description: Combine values from multiple columns into a single column using a custom separator.
category: Data Transformation
tags: [concatenate, column, text, merge, string]
---

# Concatenate column

## Description

The **Concatenate Column** activity combines values from two or more columns into a single output column, separated by a user-defined delimiter (such as a comma or space). This is useful for creating labels, summaries, or composite keys.

Use this activity to:

- Merge multiple string fields into a unified description.
- Create display-friendly identifiers from existing fields.
- Format structured output fields like "Name, ID" or "City - Country".

> **Use case**: Combine `employee_id` and `name` into a single column called `Emp_info` to display in a dropdown or export.

## Input

| Input Type | Required | Description                                                    |
| ---------- | -------- | -------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Data**   | Required | Tabular input data with text or numeric columns to concatenate |

## Output

| Output Type | Format | Description                                     |
| ----------- | ------ | ----------------------------------------------- |
| **Data**    | JSON   | Transformed data with a new concatenated column |

## Configuration Fields

| **Field Name**       | **Description**                                                                                          |
| -------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Input Columns**    | List of columns whose values will be concatenated.                                                       |
| **Output Column**    | Name of the new column that stores the concatenated result.                                              |
| **Separator**        | Character(s) used to separate values (e.g., `,`, `-`, or a space).                                       |
| **Include Original** | If enabled, retains the original columns in the output. If disabled, only the output column is returned. |

## Sample Input

| employee_id | name           | age | department  | designation           |
| ----------- | -------------- | --- | ----------- | --------------------- |
| E001        | John Doe       | 32  | Sales       | Sales Manager         |
| E002        | Jane Smith     | 28  | Engineering | Software Developer    |
| E003        | Ali Khan       | 40  | Finance     | Financial Analyst     |
| E004        | Maria Gonzalez | 35  | Marketing   | Marketing Specialist  |
| E005        | Rahul Sharma   | 30  | IT Support  | Network Administrator |

## Sample Configuration

| Field              | Value                     |
| ------------------ | ------------------------- |
| `Input Columns`    | `["employee_id", "name"]` |
| `Output Column`    | `Emp_info`                |
| `Separator`        | `", "`                    |
| `Include Original` | `true`                    |

<!-- ![Concatenate Columns](concatenate-columns-img.png) -->

## Sample Output (Include Original = true)

| employee_id | name           | age | department  | designation           | Emp_info             |
| ----------- | -------------- | --- | ----------- | --------------------- | -------------------- |
| E001        | John Doe       | 32  | Sales       | Sales Manager         | E001, John Doe       |
| E002        | Jane Smith     | 28  | Engineering | Software Developer    | E002, Jane Smith     |
| E003        | Ali Khan       | 40  | Finance     | Financial Analyst     | E003, Ali Khan       |
| E004        | Maria Gonzalez | 35  | Marketing   | Marketing Specialist  | E004, Maria Gonzalez |
| E005        | Rahul Sharma   | 30  | IT Support  | Network Administrator | E005, Rahul Sharma   |