The Problem (Q-score 6, ranked #103rd of 303 in the Excel VBA archive)
The scenario as originally posted in 2013
I have large amount of rows, which look like:
| Name | Value |
|--------|-------|
| name 1 | 12 |
| name 1 | 10 |
| name 1 | 1 |
| name 2 | 55 |
| name 3 | 1 |
| name 3 | 8 |
I need to merge all rows into one row based on column “Name” and sum “Value” in relevant rows. Result should be:
| Name | Value |
|--------|-------|
| name 1 | 23 |
| name 2 | 55 |
| name 3 | 9 |
Rows with the same “Name” could be 0-n.
How can I do it in Google Refine or in Excel/Google Spreadsheet?
I am thinking of it, but with no solution.
Thank you a lot!
Why community consensus is tight on this one
Across 303 Excel VBA entries in the archive, the accepted answer here holds strong answer (top 25 %%) status — meaning voters are unusually aligned on the right fix.
The Verified Solution — strong answer (top 25 %%) (+15)
Verbal answer — walkthrough without a code block
Note: the verified answer is a prose walkthrough. If you need a runnable sample, check Excel VBA entries ranked in the top 10 of the same archive.
In OpenRefine or Google Refine:
- Sort by Name column (if not already sorted) and make sort permanent
- Blank Down on name column to remove duplicate values
- On Value column, do Edit Cells -> Merge multi-valued cells
- On same column, do Edit Cells -> Transform with a GREL expression of
forEach(value.split(','),v,v.toNumber()).sum() - Facet by Blank on Name column, and select True (ie blank rows)
- Use All -> Edit Rows -> Remove all matching rows to delete the redundant rows
When to Use It — classic (2013–2016)
Ranked #103rd in its category — specialized fit
This pattern sits in the 96% tail relative to the top answer. Reach for it when your scenario closely matches the question title; otherwise browse the Excel VBA archive for a higher-consensus alternative.
What changed between 2013 and 2026
The answer is 13 years old. The Excel VBA object model has been stable across Office 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 365, and 2024/2026 LTSC, so the pattern still compiles. Changes that might affect you: 64-bit API declarations (use PtrSafe), blocked macros in downloaded files (Mark-of-the-Web), and the shift toward Office Scripts for web-first workflows.