Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: Trouble Recording Paste Special Formula.

Trouble Recording Paste Special Formula

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated October 7, 2020)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003


Joan ran into a problem on her system when she upgraded to Excel 2003. Prior to this version, she was able to create a macro for "Paste Special—Formula" by recording, and then assign that macro to a keyboard shortcut. When she upgraded to Excel 2003, she tried to recreate the macro by recording, and Excel generates an error message every time.

It's unclear why Excel would be generating an error message when trying to record such a simple macro. We were able to record the steps with no problem in all versions of Excel. It could be that the error is related, somehow, to the conditions existing when trying to do the recording. For instance, the Clipboard may not actually contain a formula that could be pasted, or you could be trying to paste in a protected worksheet.

Be that as it may, it is just as easy to create a Paste Special—Formula macro from scratch, regardless of the version of Excel you are using. The following is the same as what would have been recorded by the Macro recorder, and it can be entered directly into a macros module in the VBA Editor:

Sub PasteFormulas()
    Selection.PasteSpecial Paste:=xlPasteFormulas, _
      Operation:=xlNone, SkipBlanks:=False, _
      Transpose:=False
End Sub

Note that the macro has only a single line to do the actual pasting. In order to use it, simply copy some cells to the Clipboard, select where you want the formulas pasted, and then run the macro. You can assign it to a shortcut key or to a toolbar button to make using it even easier.

Note:

If you would like to know how to use the macros described on this page (or on any other page on the ExcelTips sites), I've prepared a special page that includes helpful information. Click here to open that special page in a new browser tab.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (3149) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Excel (Excel 2007 and later) here: Trouble Recording Paste Special Formula.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Renaming a Workbook

Renaming a workbook from within Excel can seem daunting, but it is actually quite easy. All you need to do is use the ...

Discover More

Error in Linked PivotTable Value

Excel allows you to link to values in other workbooks, even if those values are in PivotTables. However, Excel may ...

Discover More

Selectively Changing Endnotes to Footnotes

Want to turn some (but not all) of your endnotes into footnotes. Rather than do it manually, you can apply the shortcut ...

Discover More

Program Successfully in Excel! John Walkenbach's name is synonymous with excellence in deciphering complex technical topics. With this comprehensive guide, "Mr. Spreadsheet" shows how to maximize your Excel experience using professional spreadsheet application development tips from his own personal bookshelf. Check out Excel 2013 Power Programming with VBA today!

More ExcelTips (menu)

Switching Windows in a Macro

When you have multiple workbooks open at the same time, Excel allows you to easily switch between those workbooks. How ...

Discover More

Deleting Macros from within a Macro

Macros are really helpful, but you may want to actually delete a macro from within another macro. This is not as easy as ...

Discover More

Selecting Visible Cells in a Macro

Many times you need to select just the visible cells before taking some action. It is helpful to know how to make this ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is 7 - 7?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


This Site

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.

Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.