Cross-Sheet Consolidation Formulas
Combine data from several sheets or files.
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Help me consolidate data from several sheets or files. App: [SPREADSHEET_APP]. Source sheets (names, layouts, and whether the columns are identical): [SOURCE_SHEETS]. Desired consolidated output: [DESIRED_OUTPUT]. Number of sources and how often they change: [SOURCE_COUNT_AND_CHANGE_RATE].
Choose the approach with a short decision explanation (identical layout -> stacked tables; different layouts -> mapping; very large or recurring -> import tools or queries), then provide formulas:
1. Stack identical tables: VSTACK or curly-bracket arrays in Google Sheets: ={Sheet1!A2:D; Sheet2!A2:D; Sheet3!A2:D}, with a column showing the source name.
2. Sum across sheets: 3D-style SUM with a sheet list, or SUMIFS repeated per sheet using INDIRECT (explain the fragility and volatility), or better a helper table.
3. Import from other files: IMPORTRANGE (Google Sheets) with permission steps, or external links and Power Query (Excel), with caveats about broken links when files move.
4. Mapping different column names to a standard layout with a lookup table.
5. Remove duplicates after stacking.
6. A reconciliation block: row counts and totals of each source versus the consolidated result.
Provide a sample with three small sources and expected results, and a maintenance checklist (adding a new source, renaming a sheet). Warn about sharing permissions and sensitive data.
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