5 Ways to Merge Excel Sheets by Text Column on Mac

Managing spreadsheets often involves consolidating data from multiple sheets. For Mac users looking to merge Excel sheets by a text column, there are several effective methods available. In this guide, we'll explore five ways to accomplish this task seamlessly.

Method 1: Using VLOOKUP

VLOOKUP is a commonly used Excel function for merging data based on a key column. Here’s how you can use it to merge sheets by a text column:

• Open both source sheets.
• In the destination sheet, type your VLOOKUP formula in a blank column. For example, if you want to merge based on ‘ID’ from Sheet1 to Sheet2, you might use: =VLOOKUP(A2,Sheet1!A:B,2,FALSE) where A2 is the cell with the key, Sheet1!A:B is the range to look up, 2 is the column index to return, and FALSE ensures an exact match.
• Copy this formula down the column to fill in all matching data.

💡 Note: VLOOKUP requires the lookup column to be the first column in the range specified.

Method 2: Excel Power Query

Power Query, part of Excel’s Power Tools, provides a robust way to merge sheets:

• Go to the Data tab and select Get Data > From File > From Workbook.
• Choose your source workbook and load the sheets you want to merge.
• In Power Query Editor, select Home > Merge Queries.
• Select the matching column from both sheets. Use Left Outer join to include all rows from the first selected table and only those matching rows from the second table.
• Expand the merged column and select the columns you want to merge.

Method 3: Microsoft Query

Microsoft Query can fetch and merge data from different sheets or files:

• Go to Data > Get External Data > New Database Query.
• Choose Excel Files and then select your workbook.
• Select the sheets you want to merge and design your query to include the text column for matching.
• Use SQL-like commands to combine the data sets as needed.

Method 4: Using VBA

With Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), you can automate the merging process:

1. Press Alt + F11 to open the VBA editor.
2. Insert a new module and write your merging script, like:

Sub MergeSheets()
    Dim wsSource As Worksheet, wsDest As Worksheet
    Dim lastRow As Long, i As Long

Set wsSource = ThisWorkbook.Worksheets("Sheet1")
Set wsDest = ThisWorkbook.Worksheets("Sheet2")

lastRow = wsSource.Cells(wsSource.Rows.Count, "A").End(xlUp).Row
For i = 2 To lastRow
    If Application.WorksheetFunction.VLookup(wsSource.Cells(i, 1).Value, wsDest.Range("A:B"), 1, False) = "Error" Then
        wsDest.Cells(wsDest.Rows.Count, 1).End(xlUp).Offset(1, 0).Value = wsSource.Cells(i, 1).Value
        wsDest.Cells(wsDest.Rows.Count, 1).End(xlUp).Offset(0, 1).Value = wsSource.Cells(i, 2).Value
    End If
Next i


End Sub

Method 5: Add-in Tools

Various add-ins can simplify the process of merging sheets:

• Merge Tables Wizard by Ablebits can merge data from multiple sheets into one.
• Power Merge by Inquire automatically matches and merges based on key columns.
• These tools often provide user-friendly interfaces for merging without needing to know Excel functions or VBA coding.

Wrapping up our journey through merging Excel sheets by text column on Mac, each method offers unique advantages:

• VLOOKUP is straightforward but limited in functionality.
• Power Query allows for complex data manipulation but requires some learning.
• Microsoft Query excels in pulling data from multiple sources but might be overkill for simple tasks.
• VBA provides complete control and automation, though it requires coding knowledge.
• Add-ins offer a balance between control and ease of use, making them suitable for less tech-savvy users or for quick merges.

Choose the method that best suits your needs based on the complexity of your task, your familiarity with Excel tools, and the frequency of your merging operations.

Can I use VLOOKUP to merge sheets with different numbers of columns?

+

Yes, but VLOOKUP will return data only from the columns specified in the range you provide. Ensure the range encompasses all columns you might need to merge.

How do I handle duplicate entries when merging?

+

Excel doesn’t automatically handle duplicates. Use Remove Duplicates in the Data Tools group or leverage Power Query to aggregate or remove duplicates as part of the merge process.

What if my text column for merging isn’t the first column in the sheet?

+

You can move the column to the first position temporarily or use INDEX and MATCH functions together as an alternative to VLOOKUP.

Can I merge sheets from different Excel workbooks?

+

Yes, all methods discussed can work with sheets from different workbooks; just ensure they are all open during the merge process or that you’ve referenced their paths correctly in VBA or Query.

Is there a way to automate merging sheets periodically?

+

Yes, VBA scripts can be scheduled to run automatically. For Power Query, you can refresh data connections periodically, or use Power Automate for more advanced automation.