Excel Function: ENCODEURL

Purpose

The ENCODEURL function replaces all non-ASCII & URL reserved characters in a text value with URL escape codes.

The output of ENCODEURL is text which can be included in a URL.

Invocations of the ENCODEURL function take the form:

ENCODEURL(text)

The ENCODEURL function does not work on either Apple Macs, or Excel for the web.
The ENCODEURL function does not check if its output is a valid URL.
- It can generate invalid URLs by replacing URL reserved characters with URL escape codes.

Argument	Argument type	Description
text	Mandatory	The text to be encoded.

Function(s)	Example	Purpose
FILTERXML, WEBSERVICE	`FILTERXML(WEBSERVICE(ENCODEURL(url)),xpath)`	Sanitise a URL, use it to call a web service, then extract data from the response.
HYPERLINK	`HYPERLINK(ENCODEURL(url),[friendly_name])`	Sanitise a URL, then create a clickable link to the resource located at it.
WEBSERVICE	`WEBSERVICE(ENCODEURL(url))`	Sanitise a URL, then use it to call a web service.

Example	Description	Formula	Result
1	Encode an entire URL. The entire URL is encoded, including URL reserved characters. The URL reserved characters (://) are converted into URL escape codes. Because of this, an invalid URL is generated.	`=ENCODEURL("https://www.abcd.com")`	`https%3A%2F%2Fwww.abcd.com`
2	Encode the parts necessary to generate a valid URL. URL reserved characters are removed from the purview of ENCODEURL. A valid URL is generated.	`=ENCODEURL("https")&"://"&ENCODEURL("abcd.com")`	`https://www.abcd.com`
3	Encode a text value which is not a URL. ENCODEURL can be applied to any text value. ENCODEURL replaces the space character with “%20”.	`=ENCODEURL("Lorem ipsum dolor sit")`	`Lorem%20ipsum%20dolor%20sit`
4	Encode a numeric value. ENCODEURL can be applied to numbers. When ENCODEURL is applied to a number the input and the result are equal.	`=ENCODEURL(123.456)`	`123.456`
5	Encode non-ASCII characters. ENCODEURL replaces non-ASCII characters with URL escape codes.	`=ENCODEURL("€ ü")`	`%E2%82%AC%20%C3%BC`