17 Cutting, Copying, Pasting and Moving Data

Difficulty Level: Beginner

Excel Version: XP

Assumed Knowledge: None

 

 

The aim of the tutorial is to:

 

show you how to cut, copy and paste data, to move data using drag-and-drop, and to use the office Clipboard for pasting.

 

Cutting, Copying and Pasting

You may decide that some cells in your worksheet are in the wrong place and should be 'cut' out and moved somewhere else. Or, you may decide to 'copy' cells in your worksheet so that they appear again somewhere else. Once you have decided which cell or cells you will cut or copy you can then decide on where to 'paste' them. You can paste in the same worksheet or in another worksheet.

To cut a cell or cluster of cells from a worksheet:

  1. Highlight the cell or cells to be cut.
  2. Use one of the following three ways to cut the cell or cells:
    1. Click on Edit in the menu bar, the in pop-down menu click on Cut.
    2. Click the Cut button on the standard tool bar:
    3. Hold down the CTRL key, quickly press the X key, then release the CTRL key (CTRL + X).

Each of the above methods of cutting will move the selected cell or cells in the worksheet to a Clipboard for pasting in the new place. (More details about the clipboard and pasting will follow).

To copy a cell or cluster of cell from a worksheet:

  1. Highlight the cell or cells to be copied.
  2. Use one of the following three ways to copy it:
    1. Click on Edit in the menu bar, the in pop-down menu click on Copy.
    2. Click the Cut button on the standard tool bar:
    3. Hold down the CTRL key, quickly press the C key, then release the CTRL key (CTRL + C).

Each of the above methods of copying will copy the selected part of the worksheet to the clipboard for pasting in the new place.

To paste a cell or cluster of cells that has been cut or copied:

  1. Place the cursor to the appropriate cell for pasting to. For a cluster of cells place the cursor in the top left cell of where the cluster should appear.
  2. Use one of the following three ways to paste it:
    1. Click on Edit in the menu bar, and in the in the pop-down menu click on Paste; or
    2. Click the Paste button on the standard tool bar:
      3. ; or
    3. Hold down the CTRL key, quickly press the V key, then release the CTRL key (CTRL + V).

You can paste the same part again and again if you wish.

Moving data using Drag-and-Drop

It is possible to move a small part of a worksheet a short distance by using the drag-and-drop method. The benefit of this is that you do not have to click on any menu commands or toolbar buttons and you do not have to remember which combination of keys to press.

To 'drag-and-drop' a small part of your worksheet a short distance:

  1. Highlight the cell or cluster of cells you want to move.
  2. A border will appear around the cell or cluster of cells.
  3. Click on the border so that the pointer also has a four headed arrow with it, and hold the mouse button down.
  4. Drag the cell or cluster of cells to the new place.
  5. Release the mouse button.

Pasting from the Clipboard

The last 24 items that you cut or copied are placed on to Excel's clipboard. You can view the items on the clipboard and work with them with ease.

To view the clipboard:

  1. Click on Edit on the menu bar.
  2. Click on Office Clipboard.
    The clipboard should appear on the screen:

    3. Upto 24 items can be stored on the clipboard. The clipboard shown above has two items stored.
  3. When you have finished viewing the clipboard click on the X in the top right corner.

To paste one part from the clipboard:

  1. View the clipboard (as above).
  2. Use the mouse to move the pointer over each item in the clipboard to view the content of each item.
  3. Click on an item to add its contents to your worksheet.
  4. When you have finished close the clipboard.

To paste all parts from the clipboard:

  1. View the clipboard (as above).
  2. Click Paste All to add all of the parts to your worksheet at once.
  3. When you have finished close the clipboard.

To clear all parts from the clipboard:

  1. View the clipboard (as above).
  2. Click Clear Clipboard to clear all parts from the clipboard at once.
  3. When you have finished close the clipboard.

Exercises

For exercises to practice the above click here.

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