Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. 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: Condensing Sequential Values to a Single Row.
Rusty has a list of ZIP Codes in a column of a worksheet. He would like a way to "compress" the codes so that sequential ranges of values are on a single row. So, for instance, instead of 35013, 35014, and 35015 taking up three rows, they would appear on a single row as 35013-35015.
There are a couple of ways to go about this—with or without macros. On the "without macros" side of the fence, there are a number of different approaches, and all of them involve the use of additional columns to hold intermediate results.
For example, let's assume that you have your data in column A, starting in cell A2, and that cell A1 is empty (it doesn't even have header text in it). In this case you could enter the following formula in cell B2:
=IF(NOT(A2-A1=1),A2,IF(A3-A2=1,B1,A2))
Then, in cell C2, enter the following long formula:
=IF(NOT(A3-A2=1),IF(A2-A1=1,TEXT(B1,"00000") &" - "&TEXT(B2,"00000"),TEXT(A2,"00000")),"")
Now you can copy the formulas in cells B2:C2 down their respective columns. What you end up with in column C is the condensed series of ZIP Codes. You can copy these values—using Paste Special to ignore blank cells—to anyplace else you want.
If you want to use a macro approach, then there are no intermediate columns necessary. A macro can be written that essentially collapses the list of ZIP Codes in place. The following macro loops through whatever range of cells you selected and creates the condensed list:
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. 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: 
Sub CombineValues()
Dim rng As Range
Dim rCell As Range
Dim sNewArray() As String
Dim x As Long
Dim y As Long
Dim sStart As String
Dim sEnd As String
Set rng = Selection
sStart = rng.Cells(1)
sEnd = sStart
y = 1
For x = 1 To rng.Count - 1
If rng.Cells(x + 1) - _
rng.Cells(x) > 1 Then 'End
ReDim Preserve sNewArray(1 To y)
If sStart = sEnd Then
sNewArray(y) = sStart
Else
sNewArray(y) = sStart & "-" & sEnd
End If
sStart = rng.Cells(x + 1)
y = y + 1
End If
sEnd = rng.Cells(x + 1)
ReDim Preserve sNewArray(1 To y)
If sStart = sEnd Then
sNewArray(y) = sStart
Else
sNewArray(y) = sStart & "-" & sEnd
End If
Next
rng.ClearContents
For x = 1 To y
rng.Cells(x) = "'" & sNewArray(x)
Next
Set rng = Nothing
Set rCell = Nothing
End Sub
Note:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (11977) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Condensing Sequential Values to a Single Row.
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2021-02-11 17:25:43
David Czuba
Another way to visualize groupings is by using a Histogram chart, and then managing the ranges within the change.
2021-02-11 10:32:38
David Bonin
Hmmm... Zip codes are numbers. Using MIN() and MAX() functions would seem appropriate to preparing a concatenated range. nnIf so, the the only question is whether you are concerned about possible gaps / missing zip codes between the min and max values. Including a COUNT() function should allow you to detect this so you can make adjustments accordingly.
2019-09-15 01:25:26
Frederick Rothstein
Not sure what happened with the output on my last message, but here is the (much shorter) macro that I just post (hopefully, without all of the extra blank lines)...nnSub CombineValues()n Dim N As Long, Data As Variant, Temp As Variant, Series As Variantn Data = Selection.Resize(Selection.Count + 1).Valuen ReDim Temp(1 To UBound(Data))n Temp(1) = Data(1, 1)n For N = 2 To UBound(Data) - 1n If Data(N - 1, 1) + 1 = Data(N, 1) Thenn If Data(N, 1) + 1 <> Data(N + 1, 1) Then Temp(N) = -Data(N, 1) & ","n Elsen Temp(N) = Data(N, 1) & ","n End Ifn Nextn Series = Split(Trim(Replace(Replace(Replace(Join(Temp), " ", ""), ",-", "-"), ",", " ")))n Selection.ClearContentsn Selection.Resize(UBound(Series) + 1) = Application.Transpose(Series)nEnd Sub
2019-09-15 01:20:37
Frederick Rothstein
Here is a macro (much shorter than the one you posted) that I believe works correctly all of the time...nnSub CombineValues()nn Dim N As Long, Data As Variant, Temp As Variant, Series As Variantn n Data = Selection.Resize(Selection.Count + 1).Valuen n ReDim Temp(1 To UBound(Data))n n Temp(1) = Data(1, 1)n n For N = 2 To UBound(Data) - 1n n If Data(N - 1, 1) + 1 = Data(N, 1) Thenn n If Data(N, 1) + 1 <> Data(N + 1, 1) Then Temp(N) = -Data(N, 1) & ","n n Elsen Temp(N) = Data(N, 1) & ","n n End Ifn n Nextn n Series = Split(Trim(Replace(Replace(Replace(Join(Temp), " ", ""), ",-", "-"), ",", " ")))n n Selection.ClearContentsn n Selection.Resize(UBound(Series) + 1) = Application.Transpose(Series)n nEnd Sub
2019-09-15 01:14:40
Frederick Rothstein
Allen - your macro does not seem to work reliably. It yields the wrong result for this list...nn12345n12346n12347n98765n98766n98767n24680n24681n24682n24683n34981n34982n34983n48765n48766n48767n
2016-07-20 06:43:05
Michael (Micky) Avidan
I Forgot the main issue - NO HELPER COLUMN REQUIRED !!!
...and: folloeing, should be: following
--------------------------
Michael (Micky) Avidan
“Microsoft® Answers" - Wiki author & Forums Moderator
“Microsoft®” MVP – Excel (2009-2017)
ISRAEL
2016-07-20 06:40:39
Michael (Micky) Avidan
Some say that I sometimes have trouble to understand problems.
If this is not such a case - I would love to hear your opinion regarding the solution shown in the folloeing picture.
(see Figure 1 below)
--------------------------
Michael (Micky) Avidan
“Microsoft® Answers" - Wiki author & Forums Moderator
“Microsoft®” MVP – Excel (2009-2017)
ISRAEL
Figure 1.
2016-07-19 17:11:14
Austin Brister
Do you have a similar tool for a selection in Word of a comma delineated list?
2016-06-19 01:24:33
Nir Liberman
Same result, half the length:
B2: =IF(A2=A1+1,B1,A2)
C2: =IF(B2=B3,"",TEXT(B2,"00000")&IF(B2=B1," - " & TEXT(A2,"00000"),""))
for sorted (asc) list only.
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