Merges

version 2.1	Spinnaker Merges allows you to merge values of columns in up to three "Source Files" with your "Master File" based on one matching value or string in a "Match Field". Price: $25.00 You want to know which of your distribution centers stocks a product you are looking for? With merges you can locate products in up to three distribution centers at once. You want a list with the latest address of any of your business contacts, but they are in separate files? Let excel find the latest address using one or multiple Source Files and your address book will be updated in No-time. Of course there are a lot of other ways you can use this add-in.
	The Spinnaker Icon will be found on the Standard Toolbar, and will launch Spinnaker Merges when clicked.
	The Master Source Icon will display the Specify Your File Merge-Dialog.
	The Quit Icon will hide the Spinnaker Merges Toolbar and can, after confirmation, quit Spinnaker Merges and place the Spinnaker Icon on the Standard Toolbar for the next time you want to use Spinnaker Merges. (back to top)

The "Open Master File"-button lets you open a file in which you want to insert a merge column. The column in which the cursor is located will be the new column. Usually your Master File will already be active, but just in case, you can always open one. The file that you open will automatically be selected to be the Master File. (back to dialog)

The "Open Source File"-buttons let you open Source files for your Master File. The file you open here will automatically become a Source file for the Master File. (back to dialog)

The "File Selections"-dropdowns display the current selection, but also allow you to choose a file from the already open files to use as Master File or Source file. (back to dialog)

The “Range Selections?range boxes display the selected range in the currently selected file in the file selections described above. By default the current region (all adjacent cells) around the active cell will be selected. When you click on the

in this box, you can make custom selections. To get back to the dialog after selecting the range, you click on the red arrow sign (

`). Caution: The "X" button will close the Merge Dialog! (in Excel 97 this may even crash Excel). (back to dialog)

This button will select the current region of the active cell in the file selection to the left. This way you only have to select one cell in the range selections, and this button will select the rest of the cells for you. (back to dialog)

The "Matchfield"-dropdown displays the list of field names as found in the first row of the selection in the Master File. The selection you make here will be the column that is used to match data from the master file with data from the source file (s). (back to dialog)

The "Target Column" dropdown contains the same list as the Matchfield dropdown. The selection you make here will determine where your merge options (described below) will take place. (back to dialog)

The "Merge Options" dropdown allows you to specify what you want to do with the Target Column. The default is set to "Insert to Left of Target".

Insert to Left of Target. Merges will insert a new column with the merged data to the left of the target column. The Target Column itself is not affected by the merge.
Insert to Right of Target. Merges will insert a new column with the merged data to the right of the target column. The Target Column itself is not affected by the merge.
Overwrite Target. Merges will overwrite the target column with the merged data. The Target Column will no longer be there after the merge is completed.
Update Target. Merges will update the target column with merged data when available, otherwise the original data in the target column will remain. The original Target Column will contain a mix of original and source data after the merge is completed.(back to dialog)

The "Matching field"-dropdowns display which field of a Source file will be the criterion for data of this file to appear in the merge column. The Field name doesn't have to be the same, as long as the type of data is the same. If the type of data (text in the Master File has to be text in the Source File etc.) is not the same, a lot of "matches" will not be found. (back to dialog)

The "Display field"-dropdowns display which field will be displayed in the new or updated column in the Master File. You can choose any field in the Source file as the display field. (back to dialog)

No Source: The checkboxes to the left display the name of the selected Source file. After choices for the matching field and the display field have been made, these checkboxes will automatically checked and enabled to include this Source file in the match. If you decide not to use that source you can uncheck the box. (back to dialog)

The "OK"-button will execute the merge as specified in the dialog. This button will only be enabled if a valid combination of settings is entered. The dialog will stay open after a merge is completed.

The "Cancel"-button will cancel the procedure and close the dialog.

The “Preview?button allows you to see the results by hiding the dialog temporarily. When you click on the M/S icon again, the dialog will be displayed again, with the latest entries.

The “Undo?button allows you to undo a merge if you chose one of the insert a new column options. However, if you made any changes during preview, this button will be disabled to safeguard accidentally deleting other columns.

The “Reset?button will set the dialog to the default values.

The "Help"-button will activate context sensitive help which you can use as a guide through the dialog. (back to dialog)