A Forgotten Tool

There are so many valuable tools in Excel that it is easy to forget some that are both beneficial and quick to use. That is why it is a good practice to take a look at some Old Friends once in a while.

Paste Special is one of those Excel tools that is, indeed, a great friend, as it can do a number (17, in fact) of things that are highly useful on a daily basis.

Yes, indeed, there are no less than 17 Cool Things you can do with Paste Special.  To find it, Right-Click (Right-Click is also our friend…) a cell in your worksheet, and Paste Special will appear near the top of the dropdown list.

Here are my 5 Favorite Ways to use Paste Special:

1.  Paste Values: Need a great way to get rid of the formulas that created the data you’re working on? Simply copy the results of formulas, and Paste the Values in a new range of cells. 

2.  Paste a Link: Want to link to data in another worksheet? Merely copy the cell in another worksheet, click the Paste Link button on bottom-left of the Paste Special dialogue box and, Bamm, you can paste the dynamic (“dynamic” is a good thing…) link to a new location.

3.  Paste Validation: Would you like to reuse Validation you have created elsewhere in your workbook? Copy the cell or range that has Validation applied, and paste validation only to a new cell or range.  Totally Cool!

4.  Multiply or Divide: Need to apply some basic arithmetic to a range? You can copy a value and use Paste Special to multiply or divide an entire existing range of numbers.  Very useful of updating your data…

5.  Transpose: Want to change the view of your worksheet? You can instantly transpose a column into a row, or a row into a column.  Changing your mind couldn’t be easier!

These are my personal Paste Special favorites, but you may well have others that are essential to you.  Do a quick review of this tool some time, and find out why it is a “Great Friend” to have at hand!