How to Copy Data in Excel Check Registers and Credit Card Registers

Applies to Excel templates: "Georges Budget for Excel", "Georges Excel Checkbook Register", "Georges Excel Checkbook for Mac"

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Why Copy Data in Excel?

Copying data in Excel can save you time but how you copy data in Excel can affect the cells formatting, cells formulas, and cell contents in different ways, so knowing how to copy data in Excel an important Excel lesson. In the case of the Checkbook Registers and Category List and Budget worksheets, finding a way to copy data without impacting any of the cells formatting is the goal.

Help Topic: Important rules regarding copying data.

  • To copy data within or to a Register that has no Filter applied (no hidden rows due to Filtering) follow the steps below:
  1. Select the cell or range of cells that contains the data that you want to copy.
  2. On the Home tab, in the Clipboard group, click Copy.
  3. Select the upper-left cell of the paste area or the cell where you want to paste the data.
  4. On the Home tab, in the Clipboard group, click the arrow below Paste.
  5. Then click Paste Special… In the dialog window that opens select Values and click OK. (note: You can only copy / paste special values into the areas / columns within the Excel registers that are not password protected)
  • Do not copy or move data within or to a Register that has a Filter applied (rows are hidden due to using the Filter command / Filter arrows). Doing this while a Filter is applied in a Register may overwrite data in rows that have been filtered out and hidden.
  • Do not use the Copy and then Paste commands. But you can use the Copy and then Paste Special / Values command as explained above.
  • Make sure that you copy data to the same columns / data types. (for example, Date to Date)
  • Do not move data within or to a Register, such as by using the Cut and then Paste commands.
  • Do not use the Cut and then Paste commands.
  • Do not use the Fill handle or drag-and-drop to copy or move data.
  • Do not use the Fill commands.
  • Do not use keyboard shortcuts to copy or move data.
  • If copying data into a Register from another workbook, make sure both files are opened within the same instance/session of Excel.
  • Do not copy or move data within or to the Accounts Summary, Category List & Budget, Help sheet, and Reports & Charts sheets.
  • To delete information in cells, use the Delete key on the keyboard or the "Clear Contents" command. Do not use the "Clear all" or "Clear formats" commands.
  • I do not recommend copying data from the internet or online websites directly into the budget spreadsheet or checkbook software as that can also cause formatting issues. You should copy from within the personal finance spreadsheet or from another Excel file or csv file using Copy > Paste Special > Values.
  • If transactions or other data are not formatted properly due to improperly copying / moving / deleting data, there are several different options to fix the formatting:
  1. Use the undo command. Or,
  2. Close Georges Budget for Excel or Georges Excel Checkbook Register without saving the incorrect formatting. Although some work may be lost. Or,
  3. If Georges Budget for Excel or Georges Excel Checkbook Register was saved with the incorrect formatting, use a backup copy that does not have any formatting problems.

 

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