There's a reason the smallest unit in an Excel spreadsheet is called a cell:you can't divide it further.
But what if you want to create a master cell on top and some subordinate cells (let's say two) in the same row below it? Something that looks like a column header with three columns of cells below it:
Merging can be used to combine two or more cells to create a new larger cell. This is how you can create a column header or label that spans multiple columns below it. A well-merged block of data is a formatting trick for a tidier spreadsheet.
You cannot split cell A2 and use the split cells for the data. So avoid this by merging the top level cells A1, B1, and C1 into a single cell. This single merged cell is your header cell. You can now enter data in the individual cells below it as usual.
Select two or more adjacent cells that you want to merge.
Click Home> Merge &Center .
If Merge and Center is grayed out, make sure you're not editing a cell and that the cells you want to merge aren't within a table.
To merge cells without centering, click the arrow next to Merge and Center . Then click Merge Through or Merge cells .
Note: You can merge individual cells with data. But the content of a single cell (the top left cell) is preserved in the merged cell. The contents of the other cells that you merge are deleted. To change the text alignment in the merged cell, select the cell and then click any of the alignment buttons in the Alignment group on the Home tab.
You can always split merged cells. If you can't remember where you've merged cells, you can use the Find command to quickly locate the merged cells.
Select the merged cell you want to unmark.
Click Home> Merge and Center . You can also click the arrow next to Merge and Center, and then click Unmerge Cells .
The fused cells separate into single cells. Any data in the merged cell is moved to the top left cell when the merged cell is unmerged.
Merging cells and labeling columns improves the appearance of your spreadsheet. It is also a step towards conditional formatting. Automatic formatting of data in Excel spreadsheets with conditional formatting Automatic formatting of data in Excel spreadsheets with conditional formatting Excel's conditional formatting feature allows you to format individual cells in an Excel spreadsheet based on their value. We show you how to use this for various daily tasks. Read more . But plan ahead to avoid data loss.
Don't worry, you can merge cells and keep all the data too. But that requires an Excel formula and a few more steps. I'm sure that little tip will follow this simpler spreadsheet task.
For now, tell us if you find this simple tip helpful..
