Excel Formatting – Text Alignment: Center Across Selection

Merging cells is commonly used in Excel to quickly format spreadsheets to apply a nice clean look. While this may work well with basic spreadsheets, you will begin to run across issues when working in more complex spreadsheets. I know I have found myself wading through spreadsheets to pinpoint merged cells issues.
What if there was an easier approach that could eliminate lost time searching through and eventually reworking a spreadsheet?
Text Alignment: Center Across Selection gives you the same clean look without the issues caused by merged cells.Let’s look at a painful issue caused by merged cells that Text Alignment: Center Across Selection resolves.
We will first use Merge & Center cells to apply a nice format for our location across all months on our schedule.

There is no doubt that this provides a much cleaner look on our schedule. So, what is the issue?
Now we will begin applying some functions to our schedule. Let’s sum all cost for both locations (Column C) on the last row.

The merged cells in Row 16 restrict our ability to continue our function vertically to sum the cost for our Austin, TX location.

Let’s try this again and format the location title with Text Alignment: Center Across Selection.
Start by selecting the cells that you would like for the title to be centered across.

Next, right click on the highlighted cells and select Format Cells…

On the Alignment tab, drop down on Horizontal and select Center Across Selection and click OK.

The header is now centered without any merged cells. The look and feel is identical as the Merge & Center format.
Let’s try again to sum all Jan cost for both locations (Column C).

Notice that we don’t get restricted by merged cells and can continue our function for Austin, TX!
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