Merge multiple values into one in Google Sheets

The Merge Values add-on for Google Sheets combines data in multiple rows, columns, or a group of cells in your Google spreadsheet into one cell in a few quick steps.

Video: How to merge values in Google Sheets

How to use Merge Values

Start Merge Values

First, select the range(s) with the entries you'd like to merge.

Tip. You will be able to choose other records to combine any time before you click the Merge button. Simply highlight other cells with the necessary values in your sheet.

Then, open the Extensions menu, find Merge Values and click Start next to it to see the add-on sidebar:
Merge Cells icon on the Ablebits Data tab.

Tip. You can also find Merge Values in the Merge & Combine group in the Power Tools add-on:
Run Merge Values directly from Power Tools.

Combine values in rows, columns, cells

You can merge the records within rows, columns, or combine all values from the selected cells:
Fine-tune all the necessary options in the Merge Values sidebar.

  1. Choose how to merge the selected values:
    • in each selected row — get values on each line combined into one cell:
      Merge Values in each selected row.
    • in each selected column — get records within each column pulled into one cell:
      Merge Values in each selected column.
    • into one cell — get all the records in one cell:
      Merge Values into one cell.
  2. Pick one of standard delimiters to use for the merged entries:
    • Space (⎵)
    • Semicolon (:)
    • Comma (,)
    • Line break (↲) (use Alt+Enter key combo for manual entry)
    Tip. You can enter your own delimiter/combination of delimiters in the Separate values with field or leave it blank to stitch the values together. The separators you enter manually are saved in the drop-down list for the next time you use the add-on.
  3. Use the Place the results in the drop-down list to define where you prefer the joined records to appear:
    • Left cell or right cell of each row if you merge columns.
    • Top cell or bottom cell of each column when you combine rows.
    • Top-left corner, top-right corner, bottom-left corner, or bottom-right corner of the selected range when you bring all cells into one.
  4. There are 5 more helpful options for you to merge values in your sheet:
    • Choose to Insert new row/column with the results to place additional cells with the joined values next to your original data.
      Note. This option is available when you combine values in rows or columns only.

      If you merge values in rows, you will be able to insert a column with the results to the left or right of the original data. When you merge column entries, you can insert a row with the results above or below respectively.
    • Tick off Clear the contents of selected cells to remove all values that were merged from the source cells:
      Clear the contents of selected cells.
    • If you want to join all the selected cells into one area, make sure to check the Merge cells in each row/column/selected range box:
      Merge cells in each row.
    • When there are blank cells in the range to combine, you can ignore them with the Skip empty cells option. Thus you'll avoid excess delimiters in the results.
    • In case you expect to get large values in the resulting cells, pick the Wrap text option.

Once the settings are defined, click Merge and you will get the values joined in your spreadsheet accordingly.

Responses

Evie Wettengel says:
February 25, 2022 at 7:12 pm

hello, when I press start merge values, an empty pop-up with "merge values" at the top appears but doesn't load so I can't merge anything, how can I fix this? thanks!

Ekaterina Pechyonkina (Ablebits Team) says:
February 26, 2022 at 10:51 am

Hello Evie,

Thank you for your comment.

Please note that there is currently an issue on the side of Google that occurs when you are logged in under more than one account. I kindly ask you to sign out and log back in only under the account you used to grant permissions to the add-on and try to reproduce the issue. If it persists, please send the screenshot of an empty pop-up with “merge values” to support@ablebits.com. Thank you.

Roderick Santos says:
June 21, 2021 at 5:22 pm

How do i merge and center two cells in one column ?

Ekaterina Pechyonkina (Ablebits Team) says:
June 21, 2021 at 5:39 pm

Hello Roderick,

Thank you for contacting us again. For us to be able to help you better, please share a small sample spreadsheet with us (support@apps4gs.com) with 2 sheets: (1) a copy of your source data (2) the result you expect to get (the result sheet is of great importance and often gives us a better understanding than any text description). I kindly ask you to shorten the tables to 10-20 rows. Thank you.

david says:
April 1, 2021 at 4:01 pm

I have an existing google sheet...I added the addon, but the "addon" column is not appearing in my existing google sheet, only in new google sheets. I have a TON of data in this other sheet, so copying/pasting is freezing up. Any suggestions?

Aksana Pachkouskaya (Ablebits Team) says:
April 1, 2021 at 4:54 pm

Hello David,

Thank you for your message. I have just replied to you by email.

Curious says:
August 25, 2020 at 3:23 pm

Does this add-on give YOU access to my data?

Ekaterina Pechyonkina (Ablebits Team) says:
August 25, 2020 at 3:28 pm

Hello Curious,

Thank you for contacting us and for your interest in our products.

We do not collect, store, or share your personal data or information from your files. Please check our Privacy Policy for more details:
https://www.ablebits.com/docs/ablebits-privacy-policy/
You can also check the article that explains how our add-ons process your data:
https://www.ablebits.com/docs/ablebits-personal-data-safety/#use-google-add-ons

David says:
January 23, 2020 at 12:19 pm

Hi, I'm looking to merge sets of values in column B that correspond to one value in column A, that are separated by a blank cell. Essentially multiple merges separated by a blank cell.

For example, Name1 (A1) = job (B1), company (B2) ; Name(2)=job (B3), company (B4) etc.

Ekaterina Pechyonkina (Ablebits Team) says:
January 23, 2020 at 12:38 pm

Hi David,

Thank you for contacting us. For us to be able to help you better, please share a small sample spreadsheet with us (support@4-bits.com) with 2 sheets: a copy of your source data and the result you expect to get. I kindly ask you to shorten the tables to 10-20 rows. When sharing, make sure the option 'Notify people' is checked. I'll do my best to assist.

Meagan says:
August 12, 2019 at 10:46 pm

I have Power Tools for Google Sheets. Using "merge values in each selected row", I want to merge a row of names with a row of addresses. How can I merge so that each cell has the name shown on top of the address? Thus, I want each cell to show the name on line 1 and the address on line 2 and 3 of the cells.

Peter Rice says:
April 30, 2019 at 3:38 am

I need to merge several columns and have them separated by a comma. Some of the cells are empty, but I still need them to be represented by a comma when it's all merged and done. It used to do this automatically, but not it just skips over empty cells, even when the "skip empty cells" box isn't checked. Any ideas?

Natalia Sharashova (Ablebits Team) says:
April 30, 2019 at 7:12 am

Thank you for reporting this problem to us, Peter.

We were able to reproduce the issue on our side for the "merge in each selected row" option. It looks like a bug and our developers are already working on fixing it.
I'm not sure how much time it will take, but if you'd like, I can email you when the fixed version is out.

Matthew Smaldone says:
January 11, 2019 at 4:10 pm

I need to merge two similar rows into one row, rather than merging values within the same row. Do you have a power tool for that? Am I misunderstanding this power tool?

Natalia Sharashova (Ablebits Team) says:
January 14, 2019 at 8:41 am

Thank you for your interest in our products, Matthew.

For me to be able to advise you better, please share a small sample spreadsheet with us (gapps.ablebits@gmail.com) with your source data and the result you expect to get. I kindly ask you to shorten the table to 10-20 rows.
I'll look into it and see if our software can help.

Thank you.

Roger Pollard says:
November 21, 2018 at 4:21 pm

I am merging currency values how do i change from $ sign to £ sign - the cells are formatted in Google as £.

Natalia Sharashova (Ablebits Team) says:
November 22, 2018 at 8:18 am

Hello, Roger,
Thank you for your question.

We were able to reproduce the problem on our side. Our developers will try and fix the issue as soon as possible.
Unfortunately, I can't give you any timing, but I can let you know when it's fixed.

I sincerely apologize for any inconvenience.

Sarah says:
November 14, 2018 at 8:29 pm

Hello, how do you combine the columns but still keep the formatting in that cell? is that possible? I want to try and keep the colors of the fonts etc.

Natalia Sharashova (Ablebits Team) says:
November 15, 2018 at 7:55 am

Hello, Sarah,

Thank you for your interest in our product!

I'm afraid the add-on works a bit differently - the formatting of the cell where you pull all the records to is applied to all the values.
I will forward your request to our developers, and they will check if it's technically possible to implement the feature. I can't give you any timing but can let you know if/when it's available.

Please accept my apologies for any inconvenience that may be caused to you by this.

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