Merge multiple Excel files

Monthly reports from a dozen branches, a year of transactions, data from fifty stores — combining them by hand in Excel takes an afternoon and still risks a missed row.

How you probably do it today

Open the first file → select all → copy → switch to the master sheet → paste → move down two rows → open the second file… After a dozen files your eyes are tired and you still have to double-check.

Just say this

Merge every Excel file in the "Reports" folder into one master sheet, keep the header once, and sort by date.

Replace "Reports" with the actual folder name on your computer. You can be more specific:

Merge the Excel files in "Reports" into one sheet, deduplicate by order number, keep the newest row.

What it will do

1. Count first — tells you how many Excel files it found and which ones
2. Explain the rules — how the header is taken, how mismatched columns are mapped, how duplicates are handled
3. Wait for your OK — nothing happens until you click "Allow"

What you get

• A new sheet, something like merged.xlsx
• A short summary: how many files, how many rows, how many duplicates were dropped
• Your original files are untouched — you can always compare against them

Other things to ask for

• "Only merge the sheet called 'Details' from each file"
• "Total the monthly sales per product into one summary sheet"
• "Merge the twelve monthly files and add a 'month' column"
• "Tell me which files have a different header from the rest"

What it cannot do

• Formulas, macros and charts don't come along — the result is plain data
• Files with a password must be unlocked first
• When column names differ ("Amount" vs "Receivable"), you need to tell it how they map
• If a workbook has several unrelated sheets, say which one to merge

Next

• Other things it can do
• Download the desktop app
• FAQ