How to household a mailing list in excel

Householding a mailing list in Excel involves combining multiple lists of contacts into a single list, while eliminating duplicates and ensuring that each contact is only included once. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to household a mailing list in Excel:

Step 1: Prepare your lists

• Collect all the mailing lists you want to combine into a single Excel file.
• Make sure each list has the same columns for the contact information, such as Name, Address, City, State, ZIP, Email, Phone, etc.

Step 2: Remove duplicates

• Select all the data in the Excel file by pressing Ctrl+A.
• Go to the "Data" tab in the ribbon and click on "Remove Duplicates".
• In the "Remove Duplicates" dialog box, select the columns you want to use to identify duplicates (e.g., Name, Address, Email).
• Click "OK" to remove duplicates.

Step 3: Use a unique identifier

• Create a new column (e.g., Column A) and enter a unique identifier for each contact, such as a serial number or a combination of columns (e.g., Name + Email).
• Use the "Text to Columns" feature to split the unique identifier into separate columns if needed.

Step 4: Merge the lists

• Select the entire data range (including the unique identifier column) and go to the "Data" tab in the ribbon.
• Click on "Consolidate" and then "Merge & Center" to combine the lists.
• In the "Merge & Center" dialog box, select the columns you want to merge (e.g., Name, Address, City, State, ZIP, Email, Phone).
• Click "OK" to merge the lists.

Step 5: Remove duplicates again

• After merging the lists, remove duplicates again using the same method as Step 2.

Step 6: Verify the results

• Review the householded list to ensure that each contact is only included once and that the data is accurate.
• Use the "Filter" feature to quickly identify any remaining duplicates or errors.

Tips and Variations

• Use a pivot table to group and summarize the data, making it easier to identify duplicates and merge the lists.
• Use a VLOOKUP or INDEX-MATCH function to merge the lists based on a specific column (e.g., Name).
• Use a script or macro to automate the householding process, especially if you have a large number of lists to combine.
• Consider using a third-party add-in or tool, such as Excel's built-in "Power Query" feature or a dedicated mailing list management software, to streamline the householding process.

By following these steps, you can effectively household a mailing list in Excel and ensure that your contact data is accurate, up-to-date, and free of duplicates.