extra spaces in excel table 1

[kenford]

Converting an excel column to a Word list, in this case a list of thousands of names to be formatted in Indesign for a document, I end up with various numbers of extra spaces after each name in the list, all of which have to be deleted row by time-consuming row to make the list usable in Indesign. Two questions:
1. Is there a way to automate the process of deleting the spaces?
2. A few of the entries don't have the extra spaces, so there must be a way to enter data in excel that doesn't create the problem.

Any help greatly appreciated.

 

[xlbo]

Check back to the excel data. My bet is that the extra spaces exist there and have been copied across (nothing to do with putting excel data into word)

If this is the case, add a formula to the right of the names in excel: =TRIM(A1)

where A1 contains your 1st name

Copy the formula down to the end of the list of names

Copy the new set of data and Edit>Paste Special>Values over the original

Delete the formulae and copy the list into Word - spaces should be gone

Rgds, Geoff

We could learn a lot from crayons. Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull. Some have weird names and all are different colours but they all live in the same box.

Please read FAQ222-2244 before you ask a question

 

[kenford]

Thanks so much. The TRIM function did the job perfectly and save me a great deal of time.

KF