This reader's problem is the perfect example of how traditional spreadsheet tools punish you for trying to organize your data. A heading splits columns F and G, and the only obvious fix is to sacrifice the heading or live with the split. That is not a choice; it is a limitation baked into the tool's architecture. The user is not asking for something unreasonable. They simply want a heading that spans the full width of their sheet while their data stays aligned in neat, unbroken columns. That request should be trivial. The fact that it requires a workaround tells you everything about why so many people feel stuck in their spreadsheets.
The root cause here is structural. Legacy spreadsheet programs treat headers and data as part of the same rigid grid. Every row and column is locked into a fixed relationship, so a wide heading forces a visual break that the underlying data cannot ignore. The user's instinct to keep the heading intact is correct, it provides context and readability. But the tool offers no native way to say "this heading is a label, not a column divider." You end up merging cells, freezing panes, or hiding rows, each of which introduces new fragility. One accidental sort or filter, and your carefully arranged layout collapses. This is not the user's fault. It is a design flaw that has been tolerated for decades because no better alternative existed.
What this means for you is simple: if you are spending time fighting your spreadsheet's formatting instead of working with your data, it is a sign that the tool is in your way. The question should not be "how do I stop my columns from splitting?" It should be "why does my tool split them in the first place?" A modern approach to spreadsheets treats headings as metadata, not as part of the cell grid. When the tool understands that a heading describes the data beneath it, rather than occupying a fixed row, the visual layout adapts automatically. The columns stay intact because the software knows the difference between structure and content.
You deserve a tool that respects that distinction. Explore solutions that let you define your data's meaning without wrestling with the grid. The goal is not to learn more workarounds, it is to stop needing them entirely.