Excel 2007 For Dummies
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Microsoft Office Excel 2007 normally copies all the information in the range of cells you select when you paste the data. Use Excel's Paste Special command to specify other options, such as pasting only the cell contents (without the formatting) or only the formatting (without the cell contents).

To paste particular parts of a cell selection, click the drop-down button that appears at the bottom of the Paste command button on the Ribbon’s Home tab. Then, click Paste Special on its drop-down menu to open the Paste Special dialog box.

Paste only some of a copied or cut cell's properties with Paste Special.
Paste only some of a copied or cut cell's properties with Paste Special.

You can specify which parts of the current cell selection to use by selecting the appropriate Paste Special options:

  • All to paste all the stuff in the cell selection (formulas, formatting, you name it). this is what happens when you paste normally.

  • Formulas to paste all the text, numbers, and formulas in the current cell selection without their formatting.

  • Values to convert formulas in the current cell selection to their calculated values.

  • Formats to paste only the formatting from the current cell selection, without the cell entries.

  • Comments to paste only the notes that you attach to their cells (kinda like electronic self-stick notes).

  • Validation to paste only the data validation rules into the cell range that you set up with the Data Validation command.

  • All Using Source Theme to paste all the information plus the cell styles applied to the cells.

  • All Except Borders to paste all the stuff in the cell selection without copying any borders you use there.

  • Column Widths to apply the column widths of the cells copied to the Clipboard to the columns where the cells are pasted.

  • Formulas and Number Formats to include the number formats assigned to the pasted values and formulas.

  • Values and Number Formats to convert formulas to their calculated values and include the number formats you assigned to all the copied or cut values.

You can also perform some math when you paste based on the value(s) in the copied or cut cell(s) and the value in the target cell(s):

  • None: Excel performs no operation between the data entries you cut or copy to the Clipboard and the data entries in the cell range where you paste. This is the default setting.

  • Add: Excel adds the values you cut or copy to the Clipboard to the values in the cell range where you paste.

  • Subtract: Excel subtracts the values you cut or copy to the Clipboard from the values in the cell range where you paste.

  • Multiply: Excel multiplies the data you cut or copy to the Clipboard by the data entries in the cell range where you paste.

  • Divide: Excel divides the data you cut or copy to the Clipboard by the data entries in the cell range where you paste.

Finally, at the bottom of the Page Special dialog box, you have a few other options:

  • Selecting the Skip Blanks check box tells Excel only to paste from those cells that aren't empty.

  • Selecting the Transpose check box changes the orientation of the pasted entries. For example, if the original cells’ entries run down the rows of a single column of the worksheet, the transposed pasted entries will run across the columns of a single row.

  • Clicking the Paste Link button establishes a link between the copies you’re pasting and the original entries. That way, changes to the original cells automatically update in the pasted copies.

About This Article

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About the book author:

Greg Harvey has authored tons of computer books, the most recent being Excel Workbook For Dummies and Roxio Easy Media Creator 8 For Dummies, and the most popular being Excel 2003 For Dummies and Excel 2003 All-In-One Desk Reference For Dummies. He started out training business users on how to use IBM personal computers and their attendant computer software in the rough and tumble days of DOS, WordStar, and Lotus 1-2-3 in the mid-80s of the last century. After working for a number of independent training firms, Greg went on to teach semester-long courses in spreadsheet and database management software at Golden Gate University in San Francisco.
His love of teaching has translated into an equal love of writing. For Dummies books are, of course, his all-time favorites to write because they enable him to write to his favorite audience: the beginner. They also enable him to use humor (a key element to success in the training room) and, most delightful of all, to express an opinion or two about the subject matter at hand.
Greg received his doctorate degree in Humanities in Philosophy and Religion with a concentration in Asian Studies and Comparative Religion last May. Everyone is glad that Greg was finally able to get out of school before he retired.

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