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EXACT Function in Excel

Compares two text strings and returns TRUE if they are exactly the same (case-sensitive).

Syntax

  • =EXACT(text1, text2)

Arguments

  • text1 (required): First text string
  • text2 (required): Second text string

Examples

  • =EXACT("Word", "word") - Case-sensitive compare - Result: FALSE
  • =EXACT("Excel", "Excel") - Exact match - Result: TRUE

Excel EXACT function documentation

  • EXACT compares two text strings — returns TRUE if identical, FALSE otherwise.
  • Syntax: =EXACT(text1, text2). **Case-sensitive** unlike = operator.
  • Use for password checks, SKU validation, and audit when case matters.
  • Related: [TRIM](/functions/trim/), [CLEAN](/functions/clean/), [FIND](/functions/find/).

EXACT syntax and case sensitivity

  • text1, text2: compared character by character including case.
  • A2=B2 ignores case for text in Excel — EXACT does not.
  • Numbers compared as text strings if passed as text.
  • Wrap TRIM(CLEAN()) on both sides for import matching.

Step-by-step: case-sensitive product code match

  • Step 1 — Codes in A2 and lookup in E2 (case matters: abc vs ABC).
  • Step 2 — =EXACT(A2, E2) for TRUE/FALSE.
  • Step 3 — =IF(EXACT(A2,E2), "Match", "Mismatch").
  • Step 4 — For case-insensitive use UPPER on both: =EXACT(UPPER(A2), UPPER(E2)).
  • Step 5 — VLOOKUP is case-insensitive on text — use EXACT audit column.

EXACT vs = vs FIND

  • EXACT — full string equality, case sensitive.
  • = — case insensitive for text comparison.
  • FIND — substring location case sensitive.
  • Text category: [/categories/text/](/categories/text/).

Worked examples to copy

  • Case check: =EXACT("Excel", "excel").
  • Password match: =EXACT(B2, C2).
  • After clean: =EXACT(TRIM(A2), TRIM(B2)).
  • Count matches: =SUMPRODUCT(--EXACT(A2:A100, B2:B100)).

People also ask

  • EXACT with numbers? — Converts to text representation for compare.
  • EXACT vs UPPER trick? — UPPER both for case-insensitive exact.
  • EXACT hidden spaces? — Use TRIM; EXACT does not ignore spaces.
  • EXACT Google Sheets? — EXACT(text1, text2) same idea.

Common errors

  • Case-sensitive unlike = operator

Use cases

  • Password validation
  • Case-sensitive matching
  • Data verification

Frequently asked questions

  • What is the difference between EXACT and the = operator? EXACT is case-sensitive: EXACT("ABC","abc") returns FALSE. The = operator is case-insensitive: "ABC"="abc" returns TRUE. Use EXACT when case matters, like comparing passwords, codes, or IDs.
  • How do I do a case-sensitive VLOOKUP? Combine EXACT with MATCH and INDEX: =INDEX(return_range, MATCH(TRUE, EXACT(lookup_range, lookup_value), 0)). This finds an exact case-sensitive match. Regular VLOOKUP is always case-insensitive.
  • Can EXACT compare numbers? EXACT converts numbers to text before comparing. EXACT(1, 1) returns TRUE, but EXACT(1, "1") also returns TRUE because both become the text "1". For numeric comparison, use = operator instead.

Editorial review

  • Reviewed by Excel.Directory Editorial Team. Updated May 2026.

When to use EXACT

  • Password validation — common Text scenario for EXACT.
  • Case-sensitive matching — common Text scenario for EXACT.
  • Data verification — common Text scenario for EXACT.

EXACT in the Text category

  • Browse all Text functions at /categories/text/ for related formulas.
  • EXACT syntax: =EXACT(text1, text2)
  • text1 (required): First text string
  • text2 (required): Second text string
  • Confirm EXACT arguments match the syntax shown above before filling down.
  • Lock table and range references with $ when copying formulas across rows or sheets.

Formula checklist before you copy down

  • Confirm EXACT arguments match the syntax shown above before filling down.
  • Lock table and range references with $ when copying formulas across rows or sheets.
  • If results look wrong, check for text stored as numbers and invisible spaces with TRIM.
  • Spot-check three known input rows manually against expected output.

Related Excel functions

  • IF (/functions/if/): Returns one value if a condition is TRUE and another value if it's FALSE.
  • SEARCH (/functions/search/): Finds one text string within another and returns the starting position (case-insensitive, supports wildcards).
  • FIND (/functions/find/): Finds one text string within another and returns the starting position (case-sensitive).

Errors to watch for

  • Case-sensitive unlike = operator — review causes on linked error pages in the directory.

Copy-paste audit workflow

  • Enter EXACT on three test rows with known expected output documented on a QA tab.
  • Fill down only after absolute references are locked on lookup tables and rate tables.
  • Compare against manual calculation or a calculator for financial and statistical functions.
  • Search this directory for comparison guides when choosing between similar functions in the same category.

EXACT worked examples to copy

  • =EXACT("Word", "word") — Case-sensitive compare. Expected result: FALSE.
  • =EXACT("Excel", "Excel") — Exact match. Expected result: TRUE.

EXACT reference summary for crawlers and offline review

  • EXACT belongs to the Text category in Excel. Compares two text strings and returns TRUE if they are exactly the same (case-sensitive).
  • Full syntax: =EXACT(text1, text2). Open /functions/exact/ for parameters, FAQs, and related pages.
  • Common mistakes: Case-sensitive unlike = operator
  • Pair this function with comparison guides when another Excel formula might fit the same task better.
  • Review fix-excel-formula-errors when unexpected errors appear after upgrading Excel or sharing across locales.