Clean and combine Excel exports.
Keep the meaning of the data.

A safe sequence for messy exports

1. Keep untouched source files in a dedicated folder. Separate unrelated files from the import.
2. Map each source column to a documented output schema. Confirm units, currency, date locale, and whether IDs are unique across sources.
3. Import IDs as text. Keep source-file provenance. Set date and amount conversions deliberately, then record values that fail.
4. Define the duplicate rule. A shared ID can be legitimate in two systems; exact-row matching alone cannot decide which business record is correct.
5. Reconcile input counts, accepted rows, exceptions, and totals. Save a repeatable refresh procedure rather than a one-off copy-and-paste fix.

When Power Query fits

For recurring files with aligned schemas, Excel Power Query can build a refreshable combined table. In supported Excel versions, begin with Data → Get Data → From File → From Folder, inspect the file list, and choose the combine/transform path that lets you review types and errors.

Features and menus depend on your Excel version and platform. Microsoft’s folder-import instructions explain the prerequisites and options.

Delivery checks

• Every accepted record can be traced to its source.
• Counts balance: input records = retained records + documented exclusions.
• Amounts reconcile within each currency, with a separate exception list.
• IDs retain their intended text format, and refresh steps are documented.