For example, if your first selection is B1:D6, you can also select H1:H6 (same rows), but not H1:H5 (different rows). If you’re planning to copy them, the selected ranges must include exactly the same rows or columns. Sometimes you might select multiple ranges, and when you try to copy them you see an error message, “That command cannot be used on multiple selections.” In the pop-up menu, click Paste Special.Right-click the cell where you want to start the paste.To keep your formulas, when you’ve copied multiple selections, follow these steps when pasting: Yikes! That could create serious problems, if you didn’t notice the missing formulas. Shown below is the copied data, with Show Formulas turned on.įor the rows that I pasted as multiple range selections, the values were pasted - not the formulas. Then, I changed one of the amounts in the copied data, and noticed a problem - the total didn’t change. Then, I copied a few sections in the middle, by pressing the Ctrl key as I selected different ranges. I didn’t need all the data in the new workbook, so I copied the top section, and pasted it. The data was in a table, like the one shown below, with formulas in a few of the columns. Last week, I was merrily copying and pasting data from one workbook to another, and everything was going well - or so I thought. NOTE: Updated with new, improved video (Feb 5, 2020) This video shows some of the problems, and the written details are below the video. It’s so quick and easy to do, that you take it for granted. With copy and paste, you can select a huge range of cells, with dates, text, numbers and complicated formulas, and paste them on a different sheet, or another workbook. Without copy and paste, your Excel work would take much longer, and you’d be exhausted by the end of the day, from all that typing! Here are some Excel copy and paste tips and trouble shooting suggestions. It’s one of the first things you learn to do in Excel, and something you do every day.