Concat several columns using column names in Excel VBA - excel

Question

As shown in image_1, I have the raw data of a product as shown in Column B to Column F. I want to add column A, which concats the "Model", "Year", "Number" data into a string. I know I can achieve this simply by
[a2] = "=concat(B2,D2,F2)", and then filldown. But the problem is that the raw file I receive every day is inconsistent in terms of the order of the columns. Therefore, I couldn't use a static line of code displayed above.
I can probably use a combination of for loop and if/else to test if the column name equal to "Model", "Year", "Number", and if yes, grab its column number...
However, I'm wondering if there's a more direct and elegant way of achieving this. Any thoughts?

Answer 1

A simple approach based on sorting columns by header and merging data in columns with constant numbers (assuming constant number of columns but different order). If the number of columns is variable, this code will not work.
Sub concat()
Dim rng As Range
With ThisWorkbook.Worksheets(1)
Set rng = .Range("A1").CurrentRegion
' columns sort
With .Sort
.SortFields.Clear
.SortFields.Add2 Key:=rng.Rows(1)
.SetRange rng
.Orientation = xlLeftToRight
.Apply
End With
Set rng = rng.Columns(1)
rng.Insert ' add cells at left for "Concat"
Set rng = rng.Offset(0, -1)
rng(1) = "Concat" ' add header
Intersect(rng, rng.Offset(1)).FormulaR1C1 = "=CONCAT(RC[2],RC[5],RC[3])"
End With
End Sub
Before
After

Answer 2

If you want to add the "Concat" column and formula without reordering the columns, you can do that with vba like this
Sub Demo()
Dim ws As Worksheet
Dim colModel As Variant
Dim colYear As Variant
Dim colNum As Variant
Dim LastRow As Long
Set ws = ActiveSheet ' or any means you choose
LastRow = ws.Cells(ws.Rows.Count, 1).End(xlUp).Row
If ws.Cells(1, 1) <> "Concat" Then
'Insert new column
ws.Columns(1).Insert
' New column header
ws.Cells(1, 1) = "Concat"
End If
' get colum positions
colModel = Application.Match("Model", ws.Rows(1), 0)
colYear = Application.Match("Year", ws.Rows(1), 0)
colNum = Application.Match("Number", ws.Rows(1), 0)
' Check if columns exist
If IsError(colModel) Then
MsgBox "Column ""Model"" not found", vbCritical + vbOKOnly, "Error"
Exit Sub
End If
If IsError(colYear) Then
MsgBox "Column ""Year"" not found", vbCritical + vbOKOnly, "Error"
Exit Sub
End If
If IsError(colNum) Then
MsgBox "Column ""Number"" not found", vbCritical + vbOKOnly, "Error"
Exit Sub
End If
' Insert Formula
ws.Range(ws.Cells(2, 1), ws.Cells(LastRow, 1)).FormulaR1C1 = "=RC[" & colModel - 1 & "]&RC[" & colYear - 1 & "]&RC[" & colNum - 1 & "]"
End Sub
Alternatively, you could also use a formula in column A to find the column positions
In Excel365
=XLOOKUP("Model",$1:$1,2:2,,0)&XLOOKUP("Year",$1:$1,2:2,,0)&XLOOKUP("Number",$1:$1,2:2,,0)
For pre 365
=INDEX(2:2,MATCH("Model",$1:$1,0))&INDEX(2:2,MATCH("Year",$1:$1,0))&INDEX(2:2,MATCH("Number",$1:$1,0))

Answer 3

If they are always the same columns, just the order changes then sort by column headings first before concatenating, that way they will always be in the same position.
If you have differing columns and the ones you are interested in are somewhere within it, then you could use the following formula:
=HLOOKUP("Heading_Name","Data_Range",Row_No,FALSE) to extract each of the columns you are interested in. Concatenating the results of these would give you what you want and will work for any arrangement of columns and sizes of data providing you declare the range properly.