Copying Values

There are many ways that you can use Excel's tools to fill out various cells in a worksheet. One of the most common tools is to copy a cell (or cells) and then paste them into other cells. The only problem with this approach is that when you copy cells, you also copy the format of the original cells into the target cells. What if you just want to copy the values from the original cells, but retain the formatting already applied in the target cells?

You probably already know that you can use the Paste Special option from the Edit menu, and then choose the Values option to paste just the values. If the target cells are right next to the original cells, there is an even easier way to accomplish the same task. Simply follow these steps:

1. Select the original cells whose values you want to copy.
2. Right-click on the fill handle (at the bottom right-corner of the selection) and drag the selection to encompass the target cells. When you release the mouse button, a Context menu appears.
3. Choose the Fill Values option. Excel fills the target cells with the values from the original cells; the formatting remains unchanged.