Merge columns to one column in excel

Now your columns of data have successfully merged into your new column.

=INDEX(_my_data,1+INT((ROW(A1)-1)/COLUMNS(_my_data)),MOD(ROW(A1)-1+COLUMNS(_my_data),COLUMNS(_my_data))+1)

Are you tired of having your data spread out across multiple columns, making it difficult to analyze and understand? It can be overwhelming to have to constantly switch back and forth between columns, hunting for the information you need. This post will show you how to stack data from multiple columns to one column in Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet.

This article will introduce you the two methods. After reading the article below, you will find the two ways are verify simple and convenient to operate in excel.

In previous article, I have shown you the method to split data from one long column to multiple columns by VBA and Index function.

For example, see the initial table below:

And we want reverse data into one column and make it looks like:

Now we can follow below two methods to make it possible. Let’s start it.

Step 1: Select range A1 to F2 (you want to do stack), in Name Box, enter a valid name like Range, then click Enter.

Step 2: In any cell you want to locate the first cell of destination column, enter the formula

=INDEX(Range,1+INT((ROW(A1)-1)/COLUMNS(Range)),MOD(ROW(A1)-1+COLUMNS(Range),COLUMNS(Range))+1).

Please be aware that you have to replace ‘Range’ in this formula to your defined name in Name Box.

Step 3: Click Enter. Verify that ‘ID’ (the value in the first cell of selected range) is displayed properly.

Step 4: Drag the fill handle to fill I column. Verify that data in previous initial location is reversed to one column properly.

Note:

If you drag the fill handle to cells extend selected range cell number, error will be displayed in redundant cell.

2. Stack Data in Multiple Columns into One Column by VBA

Step 1: On current visible worksheet, right click on sheet name tab to load Sheet management menu. Select View Code, Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications window pops up.

Or you can enter Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications window via Developer->Visual Basic.

Step 2: In Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications window, click Insert->Module, enter below code in Module1:

Sub StackDataToOneColumn()
    Dim Rng1 As Range, Rng2 As Range, Rng As Range
    Dim RowIndex As Integer

    Set Rng1 = Application.Selection
    Set Rng1 = Application.InputBox("Select Range:", "StackDataToOneColumn",        Rng1.Address, Type:=8)
    Set Rng2 = Application.InputBox("Destination Column:", "StackDataToOneColumn", Type:=8)

    RowIndex = 0
    Application.ScreenUpdating = False

    For Each Rng In Rng1.Rows
        Rng.Copy
        Rng2.Offset(RowIndex, 0).PasteSpecial Paste:=xlPasteAll, Transpose:=True
        RowIndex = RowIndex + Rng.Columns.Count
    Next
    Application.CutCopyMode = False
    Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub

Step 3: Save the codes, see screenshot below. And then quit Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications.

Step 4: Click Developer->Macros to run Macro. Select ‘StackDataToOneColumn’ and click Run.

Step 5: Stack Data to One Column dialog pops up. Enter Select Range $A$1:$F$2. Click OK. In this step you can select the range you want to do stack.

Step 6: On Stack Data to One Column, enter Destination Column $I$1. Click OK. In this step you can select the first cell from destination range you want to save data.

Step 7: Click OK and check the result. Verify that data is displayed in one column properly. The behavior is as same as the result in method 1 step# 4.

3. Merge Cells into One in Excel

To merge or consolidate cells in Microsoft Excel, follow these steps:

Step 1: Select the cells you want to merge.

Step 2: Right-click on the selected cells and choose “Merge Cells” from the context menu.

Step 3: Alternatively, you can click on the “Merge & Center” button in the “Alignment” section of the “Home” tab on the ribbon.

4. Combine two columns in excel without losing data

To combine two columns in Microsoft Excel without losing data, you can use the following formula:

Step 1: In a new column C1, enter the following formula:

=A1 & B1

If you want to combine data from two or multiple cells in Excel, you can also use this formula.

Step 2: Press Enter to apply the formula.

Step 3: Drag the formula down to the end of the data in the columns.

The formula uses the & operator to concatenate the contents of two cells. In this example, the formula combines the contents of cells A2 and B2 into a single cell. By dragging the formula down, you can combine the contents of all the cells in the two columns.

You can also use the CONCATENATE function to combine columns, which works in a similar manner. The formula would look like this:

=CONCATENATE(A1, B1).

5. Combine 2 Columns with a Space

If you want to combine two columns with a space between them, you can use the following formula:

=A1 & " " & B1

In this example, the formula combines the contents of cells A1 and B1 into a single cell, separated by a space. By dragging the formula down, you can combine the contents of all the cells in the two columns.

6. Append Columns in Excel

If you want to append two columns in Microsoft Excel, just follow these steps:

Step 1: Select the first column of data that you want to append.

Step 2: Right-click on the selected cells and choose “Copy” from the context menu.

Step 3: Select the second column of data that you want to append, and right-click on the first cell in the column.

Step 4: Choose “Insert Copied Cells” from the context menu.

This will insert a copy of the first column of data after the second column, effectively appending the two columns.

7. Conclusion

Stacking data from multiple columns into one is a useful operation in Microsoft Excel when you need to combine and analyze data from different sources. The process can be easily achieved by using the built-in functions such as the & operator or the CONCATENATE function, which allow you to concatenate the contents of multiple cells into one.

Hope you can like this post.

• Excel INDEX function
  The Excel INDEX function returns a value from a table based on the index (row number and column number)The INDEX function is a build-in function in Microsoft Excel and it is categorized as a Lookup and Reference Function.The syntax of the INDEX function is as below:= INDEX (array, row_num,[column_num])…
• Excel ROW function
  The Excel ROW function returns the row number of a cell reference.The ROW function is a build-in function in Microsoft Excel and it is categorized as a Lookup and Reference Function.The syntax of the ROW function is as below:= ROW ([reference])….
• Excel MOD function
  he Excel MOD function returns the remainder of two numbers after division. So you can use the MOD function to get the remainder after a number is divided by a divisor in Excel. The syntax of the MOD function is as below:=MOD (number, divisor)….
• Excel INT function
  The Excel INT function returns the integer portion of a given number. And it will rounds a given number down to the nearest integer.The syntax of the INT function is as below:= INT (number)…
• Excel COLUMNS function
  The Excel COLUMNS function returns the number of columns in an Array or a reference.The syntax of the COLUMNS function is as below:=COLUMNS (array)….

Note: This tutorial on how to combine two columns in Excel is suitable for all Excel versions including Office 365. 

Manually merging columns in Excel can take a lot of time and effort. Here’s how to combine two columns in Excel the easy way. 

In this article, you will learn: 

1. How to Combine Columns in Excel Sheets?
   • How to Combine Two Columns in Excel With the CONCAT Function?
   • How to Combine Two Columns in Excel With the Ampersand Symbol?
   • How to Combine Multiple Columns in Excel into One column?
2. How to Format Combined Columns in Excel?
   • How to Insert a Space Between Combined Cells of the Columns?
   • How to Correctly Display Dates and Currency in Combined Cells?
   • How to Add Additional Text in Combined Cells?
3. How to Remove the Formula from the Combined Columns?
4. How to Merge Columns in Excel? 

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How to Combine Columns in Excel Sheets?

Let’s say, for example, you have two separate columns containing the first and last names of your customers. Now, you want to combine these two columns into a single column that contains the full names of the customers. 

There are two methods to go about doing this. You can either use the CONCAT formula method or use the ampersand method. Both of these methods are equally easy to use and I’ll break them down one by one in the following sections. 

How to Combine Two Columns in Excel with the CONCAT Function?

1. Click on the destination cell where you want to combine the two columns. 

1. Enter the formula: =CONCAT(Column 1 Cell, Column 2 Cell). 

Here, replace Column 1 Cell with the name of the first cell of column 1 and Column 2 cell 

with the name of the first cell of column 2. 

In this example, it is going to look like this: =CONCAT(A2,B2)

1. Drag the formula to the entire cell range, as long as you need to. 

How to Combine Two Columns in Excel with the Ampersand Symbol?

1. Click on the destination cell where you want the combined columns to appear.

1. Enter the formula, in this format =Column Cell 1&Column Cell 2

Here, replace Column 1 Cell with the name of the first cell of column 1 and Column 2 cell 

with the name of the first cell of column 2. 

In this example, it is going to look like this: =A2&B2 

1. Drag the formula to the data entire range.

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How To Use Excel Countifs: The Best Guide

How to Combine Multiple Columns in Excel into One Column?

If you want to combine multiple columns in Excel into one column using the above two methods, follow these steps:

1. If you are using the CONCAT formula, keep adding the cell references from the extra columns inside the formula.  For example, if you want to combine the column C along with columns A and B, the formula would be this: =CONCAT(A2, B2, C2)

1. If you are using the ampersand method, keep adding the new cell references in the same format. For example, if you want to combine column C along with columns A and B, the formula would be this: =A2&B2&C2

How to Format Combined Columns in Excel?

While the above methods have technically combined the columns, their results are not always accurate. Let’s use the combined full names from the previous example. Let’s say that the first name and last name are not separated by a space. In this section, I’ll show you how to avoid such errors while combining columns in Excel. 

How to Insert a Space Between Combined Cells of the Columns?

To insert a space between two cells of the combined columns, just add a dummy space between the cell references in the formula using the character: “ “ 

For example, if you are using the CONCAT function, it will look like this:

• =CONCAT(A2,“ ”,B2)

Similarly, If you are using the ampersand method, your formula should look like this:

• =A2&“ ”&B2

How to Correctly Display Dates and Currency in Combined Cells?

If the columns you combine contain any special formatting like dates, currency, or accounting, Excel will automatically strip the formatting before it combines the columns. 

To avoid this, you can use the TEXT function to convert this special formatting into text before combining them together. 

For example, if you want to combine two dates together to form a date range, use either one of the following formulas:

• =TEXT(A2,”dd/mm/yy”)&”-“&TEXT(B2,”dd/mm/yy”)

• =CONCAT(TEXT(A2,”dd/mm/yy”),”-“,TEXT(B2,”dd/mm/yy”))

In this example, A2 and B2 contain the original dates in proper date format. 

How to Add Additional Text in Combined Cells?

Sometimes, you may need to add additional text in between or after the combined cells. To do this, follow the same technique you followed when you added spaces. Insert your custom text in between double quotes. 

For example, if you want to add the phrase “was born on” in-between names and date of birth columns, you can use either one of these two formulas: 

=CONCAT(A2,” expires on “,TEXT(B2,”dd/mm/yy”))

=TEXT(A2,”dd/mm/yy”)&”-“&TEXT(B2,”dd/mm/yy”)

How to Remove the Formula from the Combined Columns?

The combined column that you created, using the above methods is going to be dynamic. That means any change in the original values will affect the values in the combined column. To prevent this, copy the values of the combined column and paste them as values in the same column, or even a different column. 

How to Merge Columns in Excel? 

If you don’t want to combine the values of two columns, but want to just merge two columns into one instead, you can follow these steps: 

1. Select the cells or columns that you want to merge.
2. Click on the “Merge & Centre” option on the “Home” tab. 

Excel will merge the selected columns into one column. 

Note: Please keep in mind that this will only keep the value from the upper-left corner cell and clear all other values. 

Suggested Reads:

Excel Sumifs & Sumif Functions – The No.1 Complete Guide

Create An Excel Dashboard In 5 Minutes – The Best Guide

Dynamic Dropdown Lists In Excel – Top Data Validation Guide

Closing Thoughts

That’s all folks. In this guide, I have shown you how to combine two columns in Excel using the easiest methods. Try using these methods in a practice worksheet and let us know if you have any questions about it. 

Want more high-quality guides for Excel? Check out our free Excel resources centre. 

Click here to access in-depth Excel training courses and master in-demand advanced Excel skills. 

Simon Sez IT has been teaching critical IT software for over ten years. For a low, monthly fee you can get access to 100+ IT training courses by seasoned professionals.

In this article, we’re going to learn how to combine multiple columns in Excel into one column without losing any data. Suppose you have a table in Excel, and you’d like to merge two columns, line by line. For example, let’s think that you want to merge the “First name” and “Last name” columns together to create a “Full Name” column or that you want to merge the columns of “City,” “Street,” and “Postal Code” into a single “Address” column.

Unfortunately, Excel does not offer an internal tool for merging columns.

If you use the “Merge” button for combining two adjacent columns, you will likely see the following error: “Merging cells only keeps the upper-left cell value and discards the other values.” (Excel 2013) Or “The selection contains multiple data values. Merging into one cell will keep the upper-left most data only.”(Excel 2007, 2010)

In this article, we’re going to look at two different methods for merging columns in Excel without losing any data or having to use VBA macros.

Merging Two Columns in Excel Using Formulas

For instance, let’s think that you have a table containing your customer’s personal information and you would like to merge the “First name” and “Last name” columns into a “Full Name” column.

1. Let’s create a new column. Move the mouse cursor to the column area (column D in our example) right-click on it and select “Insert.” Name the new column “Full name.”
2. In cell D2, enter the following formula: =CONCATENATE(B2,” “,C2)

Here, B2 and D2 are the cells for First and Last name, respectively. Please note that there is a single space between the two quotation marks in the formula; This is a separator for the First and Last names in the new column. You could use any other sign as a separator, for example, a comma.

Using a similar method, you can merge data from different cells using any sign as the separator. For example, you can combine data from three different columns (City, Street, Zip) into one cell.

1. Copy the formula into every cell of the “Full Name” column. You can hold the plus sign (+) and pull it down to auto-fill the cells.
2. So far, we’ve combined the names of two columns. But this is still a formula. If you delete the First or Last name, the Full Name data will be corrupted.
3. Now we have to convert the formula into a value so we can remove unnecessary columns. Select the cells in the new column which contain data. You can select the first cell and the Press Ctrl+Shift+Down Arrow. Copy the selected cells. Next right-click on the same column and Press “Paste Special” and then select “Values.”
4. Now you can delete the “First Name” and “Last Name” columns. One way of doing this is choosing the title for column B (while holding down Control) and then selecting column C. Then right-click on the columns and select “Delete.” 

We’ve now combined the names from two different columns into one column, although it took some effort and time. 

How to Merge and Center in Excel Using Notepad

This method is quicker compared to the last and doesn’t require formulas. But it’s only useful for combining adjacent columns and using a single separator for all data.

Let’s go through the last example again using this method and learn how to merge cells in Excel:

1. Select the two columns. Click on B1 cell and then press “Ctrl+Shift+Arrow Right” to select C1. Then press “Ctrl+Shift+Arrow Down” to select all the cells in both columns.
2. Copy the data. (Press Ctrl+C).
3. Open Notepad. Start > All Programs > Accessories > Notepad.
4. Paste the copied data into Notepad. (Press Ctrl+V)
5. Copy the “Tab” character to the clipboard. Press the Tab button (Tab ↹) on Notepad and then copy the character.
6. Replace the Tab character with your intended separator Press Ctrl+H to open the “Replace” window. Paste the Tab character into the “Find What” field and type the separator into the “Replace with” field. For example, a comma. Finally, press the “Replace All” button.
7. Press Ctrl+A to select all the text in Notepad. Press Ctrl+C to copy the text.
8. Return to your Excel worksheet. Select cell B1 and paste the copied data into the table.
9. Change the name of the B column (“Full Name” in our example) and then delete the “Last Name” column. 

So in this article, we learned how to combine cells in excel. The 2nd method technically has more steps, but it’s quicker than the first. If you don’t believe me, try it out!