How to Merge Cell in Excel

Published: 11 July 2024
on channel: Excel 10 tutorial
402
5

How to Merge Cells in Excel
Merging cells in Excel is quite common, and it helps organize and present data more effectively. This intermediate Excel tutorial will walk you through the different options in the Merge & Center menu, discuss some drawbacks of merging cells, and introduce an alternative solution using the "Center Across Selection" feature.

Understanding the Merge & Center Options
The Merge & Center feature in Excel is located on the Home tab in the Alignment group. It offers several options for merging cells, each serving a specific purpose:
1. Merge & Center: Combines selected cells into one cell and centers the content.
2.
:* Merges cells in each row of the selected range.
3. *Merge Cells: Merges selected cells into one cell without centering the content.
4. Unmerge Cells: Splits merged cells back into their original cells.

How to Use Merge & Center
1. Select the cells you require merging.
2. Go to the Home tab.
3. Click the Alignment group's Merge & Center Dropdown button.
4. Choose the desired merging option.

Drawbacks of Merging Cells

Merging cells is a useful formatting feature, but it comes with several drawbacks:
1. Loss of Data: Merging cells can cause data loss if multiple cells contain different data.
2. Navigation Issues: It can make navigating with keyboard shortcuts and selecting ranges more cumbersome.
3. Sorting and Filtering Problems: Merged cells can interfere with Excel's ability to sort and filter data.
4. Formulas and Referencing: Merged cells can complicate formula creation and cell referencing.

Alternative Solution: Center Across Selection
Instead of merging cells, you can use the Center Across Selection feature to achieve a similar visual effect without the drawbacks of merging.

How to Use Center Across Selection
1. Select the cells you want to center across.
2. Right-click on any selected and choose Format Cells.
3. Go to the Alignment tab.
4. In the Horizontal dropdown menu, select Center Across Selection.
5. Click OK.

Example Using Center Across Selection
Assume you need a similar marge & center feature in cell A1 and B1:
1. Select A1:B1.
2. Right-click and choose Format Cells.
3. In the Alignment tab, set Horizontal to Center Across Selection.
4. Click OK.

The content in cell A1 will now appear centered across A1 and B1 without merging them.
Merging cells in Excel is a straightforward task using the Merge & Center options, but it can introduce several issues related to data handling and spreadsheet functionality. The Center Across Selection feature provides a valuable alternative, offering similar visual formatting benefits without the associated drawbacks of merging cells. By understanding and utilizing these tools effectively, you can enhance the presentation and usability of your Excel spreadsheets.

Thanks for watching.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Support the channel with as low as $5
  / excel10tutorial  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please subscribe to #excel10tutorial
https://goo.gl/uL8fqQ

Here goes the most recent video of the channel:
https://bit.ly/2UngIwS

Playlists:

Excel Tutorial for Beginners: https://goo.gl/UDrDcA
Intermediate Excel Tutorial: https://tinyurl.com/59a837py
Advance Excel Tutorial: https://goo.gl/ExYy7v
Excel Text Case Conversion Techniques: https://goo.gl/xiP3tv
Combine Workbook & Worksheets: https://bit.ly/2Tpf7DB
All About Comments in Excel: https://bit.ly/excelcomments
Excel VBA Programming Course: http://bit.ly/excelvbacourse
ChatGPT Excel Mastermind: https://tinyurl.com/46kn7tmd

Social media:
Facebook:   / excel10tutorial  
Twitter:   / excel10tutorial  
Blogger: https://excel10tutorial.blogspot.com
Tumblr:   / excel10tutorial  
Instagram:   / excel_10_tutorial  
Hubpages: https://hubpages.com/@excel10tutorial
Quora: https://bit.ly/3bxB8JG
Website: https://msexceltutorial.com/ Become a member and enjoy exclusive perks while supporting the channel you love!
   / @excel10tutorial  


Watch video How to Merge Cell in Excel online without registration, duration hours minute second in high quality. This video was added by user Excel 10 tutorial 11 July 2024, don't forget to share it with your friends and acquaintances, it has been viewed on our site 402 once and liked it 5 people.