Copy and move rows and columns in Excel

In Excel it can often happen that you want to change the arrangement of rows and columns, be it to restructure data or to achieve better clarity. In this guide, I will show you step by step how you can move and copy rows and columns effectively without any mishaps.

Key Insights

• You can easily move rows and columns by drag & drop.
• There are different ways to copy contents that can affect the use of formulas.
• Using keyboard shortcuts can significantly speed up the process.

Copying Rows and Columns

To copy columns, follow these steps:

You start with a booking list that you see on the screen. Now you want to copy an entire column. To do this, select the desired column by clicking on the column header. In the top menu, you will then see the copy symbol. Click on it to copy the column to the clipboard.

Now move to the target column where you want to paste the copied data. Let's say it's column J. Right-click on the target column and choose "Paste" from the context menu. However, there may be unexpected results because in many cases, Excel applies relative references, meaning that the links in your formula are adjusted.

When you look at the values in the cell, you will see that 52 has been copied to the new column, but with zeros; this can be confusing. In such cases, it's probably due to relative references that Excel automatically adjusts to the new column situation. To avoid this, you can select specific options for pasting.

In the paste menu, there are several options such as "Formulas," "Values," or "Keep Source Formatting." You can use this selection to ensure you get the desired result. If you only want to paste the value without the underlying formula, choose "Values." This will basically copy the value 52 into the new column without the formula.

Moving Rows and Columns

To move an entire column, select the column and pay attention to the cursor. When you move the cursor over the selection, it will turn into an arrow with a plus sign. To move the column, hold down the left mouse button and drag it to the desired location. Release the mouse button to place the column. All your previous formulas will remain unchanged.

If you cannot simply move the column by dragging, there is a method that uses the Shift key. After selecting the column, hold down the Shift key while moving it. This allows you to place the column directly between other columns while the other rows adjust automatically to make space.

For example, if you want to move the column between D and E, Excel will reorder columns D to F accordingly, ensuring that the data remains well-structured at all times.

Copying Instead of Moving

If you want to copy a column but do not want to delete the original column, you can also do this. While dragging the column, hold down the Ctrl key. This changes the cursor to one showing a plus sign, indicating that the column is being copied instead of moved.

Despite this method, it must be noted that the use of relative formulas can also lead to undesired results here, as the formulas are also copied. It is advisable to check beforehand whether you are working with relative or absolute references.

Furthermore, it is important to know how to handle formulas effectively while working to avoid errors in your Excel document later on. To fix the formulas, it would be advisable to use absolute references.

Summary

In this tutorial, you have learned how to effectively move and copy rows and columns in Excel. You have learned the different methods and options you can use to prevent important data from being lost or structures from getting mixed up. Always pay attention to the type of references you use to achieve the desired results.