Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: Combining Columns.

Combining Columns

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated October 22, 2022)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365


2

There may be times when you have a need to concatenate cells together. For instance, you may have information in three columns, but you want it combined together into the first column of each row. The following macro, StuffTogether, will do just that. It examines the range of cells you select, and then moves everything from each cell in a row into the first cell of the selection.

Sub StuffTogether()
    Dim R As Range
    Dim C As Range
    Dim sTemp As String

    If Selection.Cells.Count > 1 Then
        For Each R In Selection.Rows
            sTemp = ""
            For Each C In R.Cells
                If Trim(C.Text) > "" Then
                    sTemp = sTemp & Trim(C.Text) & " "
                End If
            Next C
            R.ClearContents
            R.Cells(1) = Trim(sTemp)
        Next R
    Else
        MsgBox "Only one cell selected"
    End If
End Sub

You should note that the macro will only work if you select more than a single cell.

Note:

If you would like to know how to use the macros described on this page (or on any other page on the ExcelTips sites), I've prepared a special page that includes helpful information. Click here to open that special page in a new browser tab.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (11944) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Combining Columns.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Jumping to a Relative Line Number

As you navigate through a document, you may have a need to move forward or backward a specific number of lines. This is ...

Discover More

Using Named Formulas Across Workbooks

You can use the naming capabilities of Excel to name both ranges and formulas. Accessing that named information in a ...

Discover More

Problems Pasting Large Pictures

If you insert a large picture in your document and your text jumps all around and the picture seems to disappear, don't ...

Discover More

Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 365 applications with VBA programming. Written in clear terms and understandable language, the book includes systematic tutorials and contains both intermediate and advanced content for experienced VB developers. Designed to be comprehensive, the book addresses not just one Office application, but the entire Office suite. Check out Mastering VBA for Microsoft Office 365 today!

More ExcelTips (ribbon)

Selecting Noncontiguous Ranges with the Keyboard

It's easy to select non-contiguous ranges using the mouse but may seem more daunting if you are simply using the ...

Discover More

Pasting Excel Data within Word's Page Margins

The programs in the Microsoft Office suite are designed to work with each other easily. Sometimes there can be hiccups ...

Discover More

Ignoring Paragraph Marks when Pasting

Paste information in a worksheet, and you may end up with Excel placing it into lots of different cells. If you want it ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is six minus 1?

2022-10-22 22:40:26

Jessica Weissman

For Office 365 you could use Textjoin in a formula with a blank delimiter.


2022-10-22 07:54:48

Andy

In Excel 365:

=TEXTJOIN(" ",,A1:A3)

And fill down.

Assuming that you have text in the first 3 columns to concatenate.


This Site

Got a version of Excel that uses the ribbon interface (Excel 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the menu interface.

Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.