Need to combine multiple data sets in one spreadsheet? Here's how.
Sometimes the Excel data you need is spread across multiple sheets or even multiple files. It can be significantly more convenient to have all of this information in the same document.
If necessary, it is possible to copy and paste the different cells that are required, placing them all on the same sheet. However, depending on the amount of data you're working with, this can take a lot of time and effort.
Instead, consider some of the smarter ways to accomplish the same task. These three methods might allow you to bypass some of Excel's 10 essential keyboard shortcuts for navigating spreadsheets. 10 essential Excel keyboard shortcuts to navigate worksheets. If you use Excel, keyboard shortcuts can make or break your productivity. Here are 10 essentials you should know. Read More
Excel makes it easy to combine more than one sheet into a new workbook.
The easiest way to combine sheets in Excel is by using the Move or copy sheet I send. This method has its limitations, but it is fast and straightforward.
First, open the sheets you want to combine in the same workbook. Use the Format dropdown in the Home tab for you to select Move or copy sheet .
You should see these controls:
Use the dropdown menu to select (New Book) . This will serve as the main spreadsheet How to Split a Huge CSV Excel Spreadsheet into Separate Files How to Split a Huge CSV Excel Spreadsheet into Separate Files One of the shortcomings of Microsoft Excel is the limited size of a spreadsheet. . If you need to make your Excel file smaller or split a large CSV file, read on! Read More You can use the Before sheet: Box to stipulate the order in which the sheets are..
Repeat this process with the rest of the sheets you want to combine. Then save your new master document.
Sometimes you may want to take more than one dataset and present it as a single sheet. This is fairly easy to accomplish in Excel, as long as you take the time to make sure your data is formatted correctly ahead of time.
Here is the data I am going to use. There are two things that are very important for this process to work properly; the sheets you are consolidating need to use the exact same layout Use custom views in Excel to save layouts for specific worksheets Use custom views in Excel to save layouts for specific worksheets Excel's Custom View settings make it easy to view specific information in a full spreadsheet or To create different layouts for your data. Read More
When you've organized your data to those specifications, create a new worksheet. It is possible to run the consolidation procedure on a sheet where there is already data, but it is easier not to.
In this new sheet, go to the Data tab and click Consolidate .
Select Sum from the dropdown menu and then use the button on the References to access your spreadsheet so you can select the data you need.
Do this for all the data sets you want to combine. You can even draw from other workbooks using the Browse button, also known as Select in the Mac version of Excel.
Check the box titled Create links to source data if you will continue to update data in other sheets and you want this sheet to reflect it. You can also select which labels are transported using the checkboxes shown above. I chose to check both boxes because I wanted both sets of labels.
Finally, click on OK .
You should end up with something like the screenshot above. Unfortunately this process is not suitable if you want to merge cells with text in them, it only works with numeric data. In that situation, you will need to use VBA. The Excel VBA Programming Tutorial for Beginners The Excel VBA Programming Tutorial for Beginners VBA is a powerful Microsoft Office tool. You can use it to automate tasks with macros, set triggers, and much more. We will introduce you to basic Excel visual programming with a simple project. Read more.
If you want to combine sheets from multiple workbooks in a snap, the best way is to write a simple VBA macro 5 Excel Macro Resources to Automate Your Spreadsheets 5 Excel Macro Resources to Automate Your Spreadsheets Find Excel Macros Excel? Here are five sites that have what you're looking for. Read more . This will be especially useful if you perform this task regularly.
First, make sure all the books you want to combine are in the same folder on your computer. Then, create a new Excel spreadsheet that will bring them all together.
Go to the Developer tab and click Visual Basic .
Click Insert> Module and copy and paste the following code, taken from an ExtendOffice guide:
Sub GetSheets () Path = "C: \ Users \ Brad \ MakeUseOf \ MergingSheets \" Filename = Dir (Path & "* .xls") Do While Filearchivo <> "" Workbooks.Open Filename: = Path & Filename, ReadOnly: = Verdadero para cada hoja en ActiveWorkbook.Sheets Sheet.Copy After: = ThisWorkbook.Sheets (1) Libros de hoja siguiente (nombre de archivo) .Cerrar nombre de archivo = Dir () Loop End SubMake sure to change the path where the files are stored on your computer.
Next, save your workbook as an XLSM file for macros to be enabled How to Create a Custom Excel Toolbar from VBA Macros How to Build a Custom Excel Toolbar from VBA Macros Ready to increase your productivity? Microsoft Excel? A custom toolbar can do just that. We'll show you how to put all your Excel macros at your fingertips. Read more . Then run the macro and you will see that you have a single workbook that contains all the sheets from all the files in the folder.
Merging sheets and files in Excel is quite complicated and messy. This fact should illuminate one of the most important lessons about Microsoft Excel:it's always good to plan ahead.
Merging different data sets after the fact is always going to cause some headaches, especially if you're working with large spreadsheets that have been in use for a long time. When you start working with a new workbook 5 Excel Document Settings You Should Never Forget To Review 5 Excel Document Settings You Should Never Forget To Check When you choose an Excel template or share a spreadsheet, it may contain settings you don't want anyone to see Always check these settings. Read More
Excel is great for creating documents that can be referenced and used over a long period of time, but decisions made early on are likely to cause problems later.
Do you have any tips for merging different data sets? Or are you looking for help with the methods in this guide? Either way, why not join the conversation in the comments section below?