If you begin an Excel workbook by grouping data into the same cell and later on decide to ungroup it, Excel has several easy functions that can divide one spreadsheet column into two. Here’s how to use both “Text to Columns” and “Flash Fill.”

How to Use “Text to Columns” in Excel

Select the cells you want to split by clicking the very first cell and dragging down to the last cell in the column. In our example, we’ll divide the very first and last names listed in column A into two different columns, column B (surname) and column C (first name.)

Click the “Data” tab at the top of the Excel Ribbon.

Click the “Text to Columns” button in the Data Tools area.

In the Convert Text to Columns Wizard, select “Delimited” and then click “Next.” Delimited works terrific in our example, as the names are separated by commas. If the names were separated only by an area, you might pick “Fixed width” instead.

Examine both the “Comma” and “Space” delimiters and then the “Next” button. Delimiters are just how the information is separated. In this case, we’re using comma and area due to the fact that each cell in column A has a comma and a space separating the two. You can utilize any delimiter that fits your data set.

Next, we’re going to click the cell where we wish to start adding the information– in this case B2– and click “Finish.” This will include the first and last names to their particular columns.

We might do this differently– for instance, adding given names to column B and surnames to column C. To do so, we ‘d highlight the first names in the wizard (notification the black emphasize in the screenshot that symbolizes the active column) and then click the suitable cell.

You may discover a chime and then an inability to select the cell you wish to move the data into. If this occurs, just click inside the “Destination” location within the wizard or include the details manually into the Destination field.

How to Use “Flash Fill” in Excel

If you just have a couple of names, and you don’t want to tinker the Text to Columns Wizard, you can use Flash Fill rather. This, in essence, is a smarter way to copy and paste the data into new cells.

Click inside the first cell of the proper column– the one named “First, in our example– and key in the given name of the first person in your dataset.

Struck “Enter” on the keyboard to relocate to the next cell down. From the “Home” tab on the ribbon, click “Editing” and then “Flash Fill.”

You can push Ctrl+E on your keyboard.

Flash Fill will try to find out what you’re trying to accomplish– including only the given names in this example– and paste the outcomes into the appropriate cells.

Second, click inside the very first cell of the Last column and type in the surname of the appropriate person, and struck “Enter” on the keyboard.

From the “Home” tab, click “Editing” and after that “Flash Fill.” Or, use the Ctrl + E keyboard faster way.

Once again, Flash Fill will try to figure out the data you want to fill into the column.

If Flash Fill doesn’t work appropriately, there’s always Undo (Ctrl+Z).

If you start an Excel workbook by grouping data into the very same cell and later on choose to ungroup it, Excel has several easy functions that can split one spreadsheet column into 2. Select the cells you want to split by clicking the very first cell and dragging down to the last cell in the column. In this case, we’re utilizing comma and area due to the fact that each cell in column A has a comma and an area separating the 2. You might observe a chime and then a failure to select the cell you want to move the data into. Struck “Enter” on the keyboard to move to the next cell down.