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How to split a long list into equal groups in Excel?

Author: Xiaoyang Last Modified: 2020-05-26
doc split list to groups 4

If you have a long list of data needed to be split into multiple equal groups as following screenshot shown, how could you deal with this task quickly and easily in Excel?

Split a long list into multiple equal groups with VBA code

Split a long list into multiple equal groups with Kutools for Excel


Excepting copy and paste the data one by one, the following VBA code also can do you a favor, please do with following steps:

1. Hold down the ALT + F11 keys to open the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications window.

2. Click Insert > Module, and paste the following code in the Module Window.

VBA code: Split a long list into multiple equal groups

Sub SplitIntoCellsPerColumn()
'updateby Extendoffice
    Dim xRg As Range
    Dim xOutRg As Range
    Dim xCell As Range
    Dim xTxt As String
    Dim xOutArr As Variant
    Dim I As Long, K As Long
    On Error Resume Next
    xTxt = ActiveWindow.RangeSelection.Address
Sel:
    Set xRg = Nothing
    Set xRg = Application.InputBox("please select data range:", "Kutools for Excel", xTxt, , , , , 8)
    If xRg Is Nothing Then Exit Sub
    If xRg.Areas.Count > 1 Then
        MsgBox "does not support multiple selections, please select again", vbInformation, "Kutools for Excel"
        GoTo Sel
    End If
    If xRg.Columns.Count > 1 Then
        MsgBox "does not support multiple columns,please select again", vbInformation, "Kutools for Excel"
        GoTo Sel
    End If
    Set xOutRg = Application.InputBox("please select a cell to put the result:", "Kutools for Excel", , , , , , 8)
    If xOutRg Is Nothing Then Exit Sub
    I = Application.InputBox("the number of cell per column:", "Kutools for Excel", , , , , , 1)
    If I < 1 Then
        MsgBox "incorrect enter", vbInformation, "Kutools for Excel"
        Exit Sub
    End If
    ReDim xOutArr(1 To I, 1 To Int(xRg.Rows.Count / I) + 1)
    For K = 0 To xRg.Rows.Count - 1
      xOutArr(1 + (K Mod I), 1 + Int(K / I)) = xRg.Cells(K + 1)
    Next
    xOutRg.Range("A1").Resize(I, UBound(xOutArr, 2)) = xOutArr
End Sub

3. Then press F5 key to run this code, and in the popped out box, please select the column that you want to split into multiple groups, see screenshot:

doc split list to groups 1

4. And click OK button, then select a cell where you want to locate the result in the following prompt box, see screenshot:

doc split list to groups 2

5. Click OK, and please enter the number of cells that you want to split per column in the prompt box, see screenshot:

doc split list to groups 3

6. Finally, click OK to finish the code, and the selected list data has been split into multiple equal groups as you need, see screenshot:

doc split list to groups 4


If you have installed Kutools for Excel, with its Transform Range feature, you can quickly split a long list into multiple columns and rows, moreover, you can also combine multiple columns into one long list.

Kutools for Excel : with more than 300 handy Excel add-ins, free to try with no limitation in 30 days. 

After installing Kutools for Excel, please do as follows:

1. Select the long list that you want to split, and then click Kutools > Range > Transform Range, see screenshot:

2. In the Transform Range dialog box, select Single column to range under the Transform type section, and then check Fixed value and specify the number of cells per row in the box, see screenshot:

doc split list to groups 7

3. Then click Ok, and select a cell where you want to locate the result in the prompt box, see screenshot:

doc split list to groups 8

4. And click OK button, the data in the list has been split into multiple equal groups as you need.

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Kutools for Excel: with more than 300 handy Excel add-ins, free to try with no limitation in 30 days. Download and free trial Now!

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Comments (8)
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This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
the code works great for me. How do I change it from asking how many in each colum to how many columns needed? so that it equally divides the information into a set number of columns.
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Hello, trinetta,
May be the following article can help you, in that article, there are some formulas may meet your need. Please check it:
https://www.extendoffice.com/documents/excel/681-excel-change-columns-to-rows.html
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
The link only tells me how to do the same thing. It doesnt tell me how to tell the code or formula how many columns i need...just how many in each column.
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Hi, Tpdixon,
In that article, the formula: =OFFSET($A$1,COLUMNS($A1:A1)-1+(ROWS($1:1)-1)*5 can help you to split the list into mulitiple columns, you just need to change the number 5 to other number you need, it represents the column number.
After entering this formula, you should drag the fill handle acrross to right with 5 cells.
Please try, thank you!
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
how can I change it from the number of cells per column to the number of columns needed. so that the data is split up evenly amongst a number of columns instead of picking how many to have in each column?
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
I copied the code and Excel 365 says syntax error.
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
This comes in very handy! One question: In the VBA code how can I transpose the output? So instead of xRg.Rows.Count / I = number of colums output, the output is generated as xRg.Rows.Count / I = number of rows output with I being the number of columns per row.
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