Guide to cleaning up Excel data tables

Disorganized Excel data can be a huge waste of time when processing data. Working with an Excel spreadsheet full of inconsistent entries, missing values, and duplicate rows takes significantly more time. This article will introduce you to some tools to help you organize and clean up your Excel spreadsheets.

 

Use Excel's spell check tool.

Excel also has a built-in spell checker to quickly correct spelling errors.

1. Excel 2019 (Part 10): Spell Checking

Remove duplicate entries in Excel

Your spreadsheet might contain duplicate data or entries that you're unaware of. Instead of manually reviewing the data, you can use a built-in tool to do this.

1. How to delete duplicate data and content in Excel

 

Use Excel data validation.

Data validation is similar to setting grouping rules for cells in Excel. This ensures that only the correct data type is entered and eliminates any errors or spelling mistakes.

Depending on your data entry requirements, we will set up the appropriate data.

1. How to limit input values ​​using Excel Data Validation
2. How to create a duplicate data entry notification in Excel

Convert text to columns in Excel

With a tool available in Excel, you can split a column of text into multiple columns, precisely.

1. Instructions on how to split column data in Excel

Remove all formatting in Excel

Spreadsheets with many settings and formatting options can affect how you adjust them to your liking. In this case, you should remove all Excel formatting to return the spreadsheet to its original state, containing only plain data.

1. Instructions on how to remove table formatting in Excel

If you want to delete a spreadsheet conditionally, click Conditional Formatting > Clear Rules > Clear Rules From Entire Sheet.

 

Remove spaces in Excel

You can even use formulas and functions to remove extra spaces and non-printable characters, as well as capitalize letters in Excel. All of this is done using functions or formulas in Excel.

1. TRIM function: A function to remove extra spaces in Excel.
2. 5 ways to capitalize the first letter in Excel
3. 5 functions to instantly clean up a cluttered Excel spreadsheet.

Divide the content into multiple pages.

Instead of cramming all your content into a single worksheet—including PivotTables, charts, filters, timelines, etc.—use different worksheets for specific purposes.

This makes it easier to work without affecting other content if it doesn't need to be linked together.