If you use mailmerge in Word, often the source of contact details comes from Excel. And there are times when you inherit contact details from another project or colleague, and the names may not be separated.
This can be a heart-sink moment as you need to separate each name individually. Argh…this is going to take hours….or in the style of a panto…”oh no it doesn’t!”
How to separate names in Excel – Text to Columns
This is when Excel can save you hours, and possibly even days…you can separate names using Text To Columns.
Here is a seasonal list of names I need to separate
List of a few names that need to be separated before I can mail merge.
In Excel then you can separate the names using the Text to Columns feature on the Data tab.
1.First insert 2 blank columns to the right of your Names column.
You will need two columns for your sort to work.
2. Highlight the names in column A and then go to the Data tab, and select Text to Columns.
The Text to Columns button is on the Data tab, in the Data ToolsTo split the names, you need to use the space between the first name and surname, and the result will be shown in the small preview screen
In the dialogue box, select Delimited.
3. Click on space as the first names and surnames are separated by a space.
4. Choose a destination cell at the top of the first inserted column. In our example, we want to use the adjacent cells in column B and C.
Use your blank columns as the destination cells
5. Press ok. The data will then be broken up where ever a space occurs.
Sorted!
This technique is included in our Excel training courses and can help you with your Word and Excel work.
When you have worked hard to set up and create an Excel workbook, which may include 3D formulas, pivot tables and links to other key worksheets, you will want to protect your work from unwanted changes.
Excel allows you to protect your worksheets work and allow editing
It isn’t just about stopping people from making changes to Excel documents. You may want colleagues to enter data, and to focus on that – and not to worry about how the formulas work.
Protecting data to maintain confidentiality
Some worksheets are, by their nature, confidential. Staff salary information for example, occupational health records or commercially sensitive data such as information on competitors or financial data.
Excel has a range of options available to you for protecting your work, from individual cells to worksheets, or workbooks. These options are available in the Review tab, under the Changes section, and in the backstage view.
The Review tab has protection functions for you to apply, depending on your needs..
Protecting your Excel Workbooks
Protection via Read-only status You can protect your Excel document by making it read-only. Your colleagues or clients can read the document, analyse the data in it, but not edit it, add to it, or change a thing.
Mark as Final
With this option, no-one can edit your document as the features that allow editing, are not available.
Encryption
This protects a document by applying a password system – but be warned, if you have to try and remember fifty squillion different passwords at work, this may tip you over the edge. If you forget the password for your Excel document, you won’t be able to get a reminder. If you use this, find a way to remember your passwords.
Other options for protecting parts of your Excel Workbook
Locking Cells
This feature allows you to protect individual cells – useful for protecting your formulas or links. The rest of your worksheet is unprotected. This option works well where colleagues share a document and are responsible for updating your database, but don’t have the expertise to set up the formulas.
Using permissions Excel allows you to set up permissions using your Windows accounts and IDs. Here, you can set permissions for certain users only. This option is suitable if your document is in a shared drive and you want to protect sensitive or confidential data.
The backstage view has tools available to protect your work, or set permissions.
Protect your workbook by setting up digital signatures.
In the backstage view you can apply a digital signature, which can be invisible to other users.
You can use one or a a combination of these protection options to protect your worksheet. Protecting your work is included in our Excel training courses.
