TIP Don't merge if you don't have to.

I'm not the only one that does not like merged Excel cells; they are frequently hard to debug in another author's work, they get in the way and so on. I looked quickly to see if this tip is about and not finding it, offer it here.

Sometimes you want a total figure to be shown LARGE.
It would be too wide to fit the column it SUMs, so you’re tempted to merge two cells to leave room.
Don't! Cell merges are confusing and often unnecessary.
Text values happily overlap the next cell(s) as required (if they are empt
If the total was text, it would cover the next (blank) cell without issue.
So make it text with the TEXT() function;, e.g. =TEXT(SUM(C$12:C$18),"#,##0") and in this case, right align to overlap into the cell to the left.
Of course you forma font name, size and bold as you wish.

Now I wanted to show a picture or sample but I failed the upload files test. But trust me; this saved me a wholemess of trouble when I moved to anew department with numbers (and dates in 23 October 2012 format) would not fit in tight cells. I hope you like it.

Pepe

achieves the same without extra formulas

Actuially it doesn't - it centers over two columns which looks pretty silly at the foot of a column of numbers. My tip allows left, right, or centre alignment. I've used it to display a wide date "October 2012" right justified in a heading of a narrow column; It overlaps the cell on the left (which is empty). As a date is numeric, it won't overlap like a text label would do.

Arlette

Thats a useful tip.

From you that's praise, thanks.

FDibbins,

if you convert values to text ... at some point you may want to "un-text" them

No, no, no! You don't convert them. It is about display. The value of the cell that looks like 3 Novenmber 2012 is still a number, same with totals fields as originally posted. And you can still do math.

This is a tip for improving appearance and tidiness and ease of development and does not cause problems with lots of columns.

see attached demo.overlaps.xls

For anyone else who's watching the thread, a summary; the text function among other things allows a number (including a date) to be presented in a format that's wide than the column it is in (provided the adjacent tcell is empty. The cell value is still a number and can be used as such.
How it 'seems' is not important. Sometimes it is useful.

If you use TEXT you get text.

In your example workbook the formula =ISTEXT(C1) returns TRUE.

If you try and use C1 in a simple formula, eg =C1-10, you ge #VALUE!.

Of course the original cell is still a number and can be used in calculations.

I was sure but i was wrong; I aplogise to all concerned and I'm grateful to those who pesisted to correct me.
I added =Type(A1) etc in row 2 under the values and Yup, the =text does report 2 (text).

In the instances where I've needed it, the figure has been final and without depenent calculations. So use with care if that does not apply to your situation.

It's definitely useful but only for display I would think.