Column select when merged cells below

[gcgratton]

Hi everyone,

For some reason, I have a new issue with my Excell 2003. I cannot select a single column when have meged cells below. Let's say I merged A1-B1-C1, well excel won't let me select column B. I will select A-B-C all together.

How can I change that to only selecting the one I selected...

Thanks!!

 

[Jonmo1]

Welcome to the board...

How can I change that to only selecting the one I selected...

Unmerge the cells.

Sorry, that's it. Once you merge cells, you can no longer select only that 1 column if the merged cells intersect that column.

Generally speaking, Merged Cells cause more problems than they solve. And should be avoided like the plague.
A very similar effect can be achieved with "Center Accross Selection"

That is found by
Format - Cells - Allignment
In the Dropdown Menu called "Horizontal"

Hope that helps..

P.S. - The "Avoided like the Plague" part is strictly opinion...LOL

 

[VoG]

Hello and welcome to MrExcel.

As you've discovered merged cells can be a nightmare. If you unmerge the cells, select them then Format > Cells > Alignment tab and set the horizontal alignment to Center Across Selection you can achieve the same visual effect without the column selection problem.

If you have a lot of cells to unmerge see http://www.mrexcel.com/forum/showthread.php?t=335123

 

[yytsunamiyy]

Welcome to the board.

Only way to avoid that behaviour that I know of is avoiding to use merged cells. If it is a data formating issue and you only merge cells to have column headers stretch over 3 columns for instance, you can achieve the same optical result by selecting the three cells and format the text location as "center across selection".

****, Jonmo and Vog beat me to it - again. And their explanation on how to do it is better to boot

 

[c_m]

Try to select the column by clicking on the column header. Point your cursor on A (the column heading), it will change to a down arrow pointer, press left click on mouse and it will select a single column.
You may be selecting the column by selecting a range by grabbing A1 which doesnt allow you to select just one column becoz three column cells have been merged with A1.

 

[dwhims]

Hi all!

I am a firm believer in the thought that merged cells are pure evil. However, I frequently have the need to add a blurb of text (multiple lines) below a table of numbers, and would like the text to span across multiple columns, but not be "centered" across those columns - I'd like the text to appear more like a true paragraph.

Is this possible? Without adding a text box? And is it easy enough for me to teach a bunch of accountants how to do it?

Oops - meant to add that I'm using Excel 2007.

Thanks!