Just last Tuesday, my colleague Sarah rushed to my desk looking frantic. "I've wasted an hour trying to combine first and last names," she said, showing me a messy spreadsheet. Her deadline was approaching and she kept getting #VALUE! errors. Sound familiar? If you've ever googled "how do I merge two columns in Excel", you're not alone. I've been there too - staring at disconnected data while wishing for a magic button.
Merging columns seems simple until you actually try it. Should you use formulas? What about keeping original data? How to add spaces or commas? I'll walk you through every method I've tested over 10 years of Excel work, including some tricks most tutorials miss.
Why Merging Columns Trips People Up
Let's be honest - Excel doesn't have a direct "Merge Columns" button. That's why folks search "how do I merge two columns in Excel" over 12,000 times monthly. The biggest pain points? Preserving raw data (accidentally overwriting is too easy), handling different formats like dates and numbers, and adding separators correctly. I once merged 200 addresses only to realize I'd lost all the ZIP codes!
7 Ways to Combine Columns
| Method | Best For | Difficulty | Data Safety | Excel Versions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ampersand (&) | Quick basic merging | Beginner | Safe (new column) | All versions |
| CONCATENATE | Simple formula merging | Beginner | Safe | All versions |
| TEXTJOIN | Adding separators | Intermediate | Safe | 2019/365 only |
| Flash Fill | Pattern recognition | Beginner | Risky (overwrites) | 2013+ |
| Power Query | Large datasets | Advanced | Very safe | 2010+ |
| VBA Macros | Automation | Expert | Risky | All versions |
| Notepad Trick | No-formula solution | Beginner | Safe | All versions |
Let's dive into the details using real examples. Imagine we're merging First Name (Column A) and Last Name (Column B).
The Ampersand Method
This is my go-to for quick merging. In cell C2, type: =A2&" "&B2
The & connects cells, while " " adds a space. Simple, right? But here's what most guides won't tell you - double quotes matter. Use regular quotes (" "), not curly “smart quotes” from Word. I learned this the hard way when my formula broke after pasting from email.
Bonus tip: To add commas, use =A2&", "&B2. The comma inside quotes creates "Smith, John".
CONCATENATE - The Classic Approach
Many tutorials push CONCATENATE, but personally? I find it clunky. The syntax: =CONCATENATE(A2," ",B2)
It does the same job as the ampersand but requires more typing. Where it becomes useful is when merging more than two columns. Say you want First+Middle+Last: =CONCATENATE(A2," ",C2," ",B2)
Biggest drawback? No ignore-empty feature. If middle name is blank, you get double spaces like "John Smith".
TEXTJOIN - My Personal Favorite
When people ask me "how exactly do I merge two columns in Excel with a delimiter?", TEXTJOIN is the answer. Syntax: =TEXTJOIN(" ", TRUE, A2, B2)
Why I love it:
- First argument " " is the separator
- TRUE ignores empty cells
- Works with any number of cells
Downside? Only available in Excel 2019 and Microsoft 365. Last month I used it to merge addresses where some apartments had unit numbers and others didn't. The TRUE parameter skipped blanks automatically - lifesaver!
Merge Killers Watchlist:
1. Merging date columns? Use =TEXT(A2,"mm/dd/yy")&" - "&TEXT(B2,"mm/dd/yy") or you'll get serial numbers
2. Numbers losing zeros? Wrap with TEXT like =A2&TEXT(B2,"00000") for ZIP codes
3. Getting #VALUE! errors? Check for non-text entries with =ISTEXT(A2)
Non-Formula Solutions
Sometimes you just need to merge columns quickly without formulas. Here are two alternatives:
Flash Fill - Excel's Mind Reader
Type the merged result manually in the first cell (e.g., "John Smith" in C2). Press Ctrl+E. Excel detects the pattern and fills down. Scary how well this works... when it works. For inconsistent data it fails spectacularly. I use it only for < 20 rows.
The Notepad Trick
Here's an old-school method that saved me when Excel crashed mid-project:
- Select both columns
- Copy (Ctrl+C)
- Paste into Notepad
- In Notepad, select all (Ctrl+A) and copy
- Pose back to Excel in a new column
Tabs between columns become spaces automatically. Weird but effective!
| Scenario | Best Method | Pro Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Merging with line break | CHAR(10) | Use =A2&CHAR(10)&B2 + enable Wrap Text |
| Keeping original data | All formula methods | Always merge into new column (never overwrite!) |
| Merging 3+ columns | TEXTJOIN | Add more cells: =TEXTJOIN("-",TRUE,A2:C2) |
| Formatting numbers | TEXT function | Embed formats: =A2&" "&TEXT(B2,"$#,##0.00") |
Power User Techniques
When you've moved beyond "how do I merge two columns in Excel" to "how do I do this monthly":
Power Query Method
For merging 100,000+ rows, nothing beats Power Query. I set this up for a client's monthly sales reports:
- Select data > Data tab > From Table/Range
- Right-click columns > Merge Columns
- Choose separator (space, comma, custom)
- Click "Close & Load"
Best part? Next month when new data arrives, just refresh the query.
VBA Macro for Automation
Record this macro once, run it anytime:
Sub MergeColumns()
For Each cell In Selection
cell.Offset(0,1).Value = cell.Value & " " & cell.Offset(0,1).Value
Next cell
End Sub
Warning: This overwrites adjacent columns! Always test on copies. I ruined a client file doing this in 2015 (still cringe).
FAQ: Your Merging Questions Answered
These come from real emails I've received:
| Question | Solution |
|---|---|
| How do I merge columns without losing data? | Always merge into a NEW column. Never use "Merge Cells" (that deletes data) |
| Can I undo merged columns? | Only if you used formulas (delete formula column). Flash Fill/Power Query require Undo immediately |
| Why does my merged date show numbers? | Excel stores dates as numbers. Wrap with TEXT: =TEXT(A2,"mm/dd/yyyy") |
| How to merge with different separators? | Use TEXTJOIN: =TEXTJOIN(" - ",TRUE,A2:B2) for hyphen separation |
| Can I merge columns vertically? | Yes, use =A2&" "&B2 then copy down entire column |
| How to merge columns in Excel Online? | Ampersand and CONCATENATE work. TEXTJOIN requires desktop version |
| Alternative to TEXTJOIN for older Excel? | Use IF statements: =A2&IF(B2<>""," "&B2,"") |
Most Common Merge Mistakes (And Fixes)
From my consulting experience, these cause 90% of problems:
- Overwriting source columns: Client last week deleted 200 emails this way. Fix: Always create new column
- Forgetting separators: Results in "JohnSmith". Fix: Add &" " between references
- Ignoring data types: Merging dates/numbers without TEXT function. Fix: Wrap numbers with TEXT(value,format)
- Flash Fill failures: Inconsistent patterns cause errors. Fix: Provide 3-4 manual examples before Ctrl+E
Should You Use "Merge Cells"?
Absolutely not! That formatting tool centers text across cells but doesn't combine data. I've seen entire departments use this wrong. If you need actual merged content, always use the methods above.
Final Thoughts From My Spreadsheet Trenches
After helping hundreds merge Excel columns, here's my cheat sheet: For quick jobs, use ampersand (). For delimiters and blanks, TEXTJOIN is king. Hate formulas? Try Flash Fill for small datasets. Doing this regularly? Power Query will save your sanity.
The key is matching method to situation. Last month I helped a non-profit merge donor lists - we used Power Query because they'll add new records monthly. My book club spreadsheet? Ampersand works fine since it rarely changes.
Still stuck? Email me your scenario - I genuinely enjoy solving these puzzles. What method solved your "how do I merge two columns in Excel" challenge? Let me know!
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