When I am working in Excel, I copy and paste information quite a bit. I copy things using Ctrl+C, and then paste them using Ctrl+V. Sometimes, however, Ctrl+V does not exhibit the expected behavior. For instance, when I copy a cell that contains a formula, and then paste the formula into a cell in a different workbook, I expect Excel to paste the formula. Sometimes Ctrl+V results in just the result of the formula being pasted, the same as if I chose Values from the Paste Special dialog box.
It appears that this behavior is closely related to how the Excel workbooks are opened. If I open two workbooks in the same instance of Excel, I can copy and paste formulas from one workbook to another with no problem. If, however, I open two workbooks in different instances of Excel, then Ctrl+V results in values being pasted from one workbook to the other, rather than formulas.
The easiest way to check whether your workbooks are open in different instances of Excel is to take a look at the Window menu. If you click the Window menu in Excel, you should be able to see all your open workbooks at the bottom of the menu. If you cannot, then you know that the workbook (or workbooks) missing from the menu are open in a different instance of Excel.
If you want to paste formulas from one workbook to another, the solution is to close one of the workbooks and then reopen it within the other instance of Excel. In other words, open it by using the Open tool or by choosing File | Open.
On a related note, if you want to know exactly how your pasting will occur (rather than leaving it up to Excel), you should use Edit | Paste Special. Remember, however, that if you try to copy formulas from one instance of Excel to another, you get a very different set of options in the Paste Special dialog box than you get if you are copying within the same instance of Excel.
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2016-02-06 10:24:18
allen@sharonparq.com
Thanks, Thomas.
-Allen
2016-02-06 10:23:08
Thomas Redd
Thanks Allen for revamping the way the daily tips email is formatted! I really appreciate that help!
And Thanks DJQ for your helpful tip in the comment below! That is really a neat function I did not know about. That will make lots of my work much easier!
Allen,
What a wonderful site you have here! I am so grateful for all you do!
2016-02-04 12:30:47
DJQ
Alternatively:
In the COPY-FROM sheet, press CTRL~ [~ is 'tilda' the capital just to the left of 1 at the top of the keyboard.] This displays all formulae (sometimes useful for other reasons). COPY whatever cells you want. In the COPY-TO sheet, PASTE/SPECIAL/TEXT.
CTRL~ in the COPY-FROM sheet to hide formulae.
2016-02-02 11:13:15
Brad
This may have been addressed in another post but there are times when I need 'Past Special' or 'Transpose' and I don't want to reach for the mouse. I decided the best way to that is to customize the taskbar so that instead or Ctrl + V dropping in something other than what I need. What I did was set it up to where I hit Alt+2 [or whatever place you chose]. This saves the seconds that add up throughout the day
2012-10-27 07:42:25
shopkins
Note the info at the bottom of the tip. This info only applies to up thru Excel 2003. Windows 7 and 8, or maybe
Excel 2007 and 2010 will NOT allow two or more complete Excel runs at the same time.
Got a version of Excel that uses the menu interface (Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, or Excel 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.
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