This technique is used when you have two separate columns of data in an Excel file that you wish to appear on your webpage as a single column. The most common reason I have done this is when I receive a database with the surname and first name listed in separate columns. I personally find the names easier to browse on the website when they are listed together in one column, so I came up with this technique to "merge" them. One example of the finished product may be viewed at the Snicarte Cemetery page

I use this technique in conjunction with the method of converting Excel to HTML that is in another tutorial, but if your WYSIWYG editor will let you cut & paste directly from Excel to your HTML page then this may work for you too. It's easiest if you do this technique first, then do the Excel to HTML conversion.

In the first example below you will see that the surnames and proper names are in separate columns.

Step 1: Find the two columns of data that you want to merge, and click on a cell in the right column. Click on "Insert" then "Columns". This will insert a blank column between the surname and proper name columns.

Step 2: In the top cell of the blank column you just inserted, type ", &nbsp" (without quotes). That's a comma then a space then &nbsp. This inserts a comma and a space between the names.

Step 3: Click on the cell you just typed in and highlight the cells below it by either left-clicking and dragging with the mouse or by holding the "Shift" key while using the arrow keys. After they are highlighted, click "Edit" then "Fill" then "Down"

Step 4: Now that you have a comma and a space between the names, take a look through your listing of names. If there are any that are only a surname or first name and the other one is blank, then you can clear the cell between that contains the formatting you just entered. You can either leave it blank or type in "&nbsp", either way it will leave a blank space in your webpage.

Now your database is ready to either have the formatting added per the instructions in the first tutorial, or you can cut & paste into your HTML editor. If you are adding the formatting while still in Excel, make certain that you do not add a formatting column between the surname and first name, treat these two columns plus the one you just inserted as one column and only put the formatting tags to the left of the surname and to the right of the proper name.

If you still need help, please feel free to Email me