Copying Formulas Between Two Instances of Excel: Pastes Values

ID: Q68515

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 2.x, 3.0, 4.0, 4.0a, 5.0

SUMMARY

If you copy a formula from one instance of Microsoft Excel to a sheet in another instance of Microsoft Excel, only the values are pasted; the formulas will be lost. You cannot work around this by using the Paste Special command because that option will be grayed.

Note: copying from and to macro sheets can be accomplished by choosing Paste Special and choosing DIF, Text or CSV from the Data Types listed.

MORE INFORMATION

You can work around this by copying the contents of the of cell as displayed in the Formula Bar, and then pasting it into the second instance. The procedure is:

Move the cursor to the cell that you wish to copy.

Select the contents in the Formula Bar using F2, <CTRL> <SHIFT><HOME>

Select EDIT/COPY, press ESC

Switch to the second instance of Excel.

Select EDIT/PASTE

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Last Reviewed: July 15, 1999