combining column contents ?

[Tim]

In Excel 2003...I have three long columns A , B , & C. Some of the
individual cells contain text...some don't. Is there a way to combine these
columns into column A without losing the text that now exist in column A ?
Here's what I have:
Col A Col B ColC
Bob & Mary
Bill
etc

When done I would like:

Col A Col B ColC
Bob & Mary
Bill

Thanks, Tim R

 

[RagDyer]

Is there a possibility there might be data in Column C and *no* data in
ColumnB?

 

[Tim]

Yes...there is always data in A...but there may or may not be data in B & C
I'm trying to get the concatenate formula to work but so far no go...here's
what I have now
=CONCATENATE(I8," ",J8," ",K8)
not sure tho if this is to be put into an adjoining empty column or in the
column that will be the finished data above in column I or in my
exempla...column A ?

 

[RagDyer]

Try this:

Insert a *new* Column I *temporarily*.

In the new I8, enter:

=IF(AND(J8<>"",K8="",L8=""),J8,IF(K8="",J8&" "&L8,TRIM(J8&" "&K8&" "&L8)))

And copy down as needed.

To remove the text formulas and leave just the data behind,
select the cells in Column I that you copied this formula to, and right
click in the selection.
Choose "Copy",
And right click again in the selection, and click on "Paste Special",
Then click on "Values", then <OK>, then hit <Esc>.

If you wish, you can now delete Column J (*old* Column I), and have your old
configuration back, with the revised data in the new Column I.

 

[Tim]

Thanks much....I will use this often in my projects...is there a way to
'store' this function in a user functions type part of Excel...so I don't
have to cut/past all the time when I use this (these) ?