Sometimes you may need to move or copy the whole worksheet to another Excel workbook. You can move or copy a worksheet to another Excel workbook by following below steps.
Note that "Move" means copying the whole worksheet to another workbook and deletion of copied worksheet from original workbook. "Copy" means the duplication of whole worksheet in another workbook.
Step 1 - Make sure both workbooks are open in Excel (the workbook from where the worksheet is copied and the workbook to where the worksheet is copied or moved).
Step 2 - Right-click on the worksheet Tab which you want to move or copy to another workbook and select "Move or Copy" from the menu, as shown in below image. Note that the name of current active workbook name is "source_workbook.xslx", which is displayed in Titlebar.
Step 2 - "Move or Copy" dialog box will be displayed as shown in below image. By default, the active workbook (the workbook you are working) is selected in "Move selected sheets To book" Drop-down menu.
Step 3 - Click on "Move selected sheets To book" Drop-down menu. Currently open workbooks are listed in "Move selected sheets To book" Drop-down menu. You have an option to move the worksheet to a new workbook also.
Step 4 - Perform below activities on "Move or Copy" dialog box to move or copy the worksheet to another workbook, as shown in below image.
• Currently open Excel workbooks are listed in "Move selected sheets To book" Drop-down menu. Select the workbook to which you want to copy the worksheet. In this example, the workbook is copied to "destination_workbook.xlsx".
• The worksheets in the selected workbook is listed in in "Before sheet" list box. Copied or moved worksheet's new position will be before the selected worksheet. Select the position where you want to move of copy the worksheet.
• Select whether you want to move or copy the worksheet in "Create a copy" checkbox. If the checkbox is checked, the worksheet will be copied. Else the worksheet will be moved. In this example, the checkbox is checked to copy the worksheet.
• Click "OK" button to finish worksheet copy or move, as shown in below image.
Step 5 - You can see that the worksheet is copied to another workbook as shown in below image. You may rename it according to your requirement.
Joshua is a graduate student at the USF. He has interests in business technology, analytics, finance, and lean six sigma.
Quite often, we are tasked with copying a worksheet, and many people still don't know the best method to do so. There are many reasons to duplicate worksheet data, whether the purpose is to share the work or create a backup.
In this article, I've come up with two ways to copy a worksheet. Each way may serve a purpose better than others, depending on the situation. I'll add details on why I would use each method.
Copying and Pasting the Data
Copying the data directly out of the worksheet may be the easiest way to duplicate the data as long as you choose the proper pasting option for your situation. For instance, you may want to keep the same formatting or even keep formulas as formulas.
The first step to this simple copy and paste method is selecting all the data. This can be accomplished by selecting the square in the top left-hand corner of the spreadsheet.
The above illustration shows the select all feature highlighted with a square around it. By clicking this button all data in the worksheet will be selected.
Created by Joshua Crowder
Next, press Ctrl + c or right-click the selection and select copy. Lastly, select all the cells of a new worksheet or go to the first cell and press Ctrl + v or right-click and select paste.
I would normally choose this method if I need to change the format of the data by choosing one of several paste options. Perhaps you would like to change your formulas to a static number to completely remove the formulas.
The above illustration shows the data after it was pasted into a new sheet. Before pasting the data the select all feature must be pressed or the first cell must be clicked so that the data in the new worksheet matches the position in the original.
Created by Joshua Crowder
Creating a Copy From the Sheet Tab
Creating a copy from the worksheet tab will allow you to create an exact copy and keep that copy in the existing workbook or send it to another workbook.
The first step to using this method is to right-click one of the sheet tabs at the bottom of the spreadsheet that you would like to copy and choose the move or copy option from the drop-down menu.
Right Click Sheet Tab → Move or Copy
In the illustration above the sheet that is to be copied is right-click to show a menu where you must select the move or copy option to proceed to make a copy.
Created by Joshua Crowder
Next, the move or copy window will appear immediately. Click the "create a copy" check box and select the workbook to be copied from the dropdown menu. The only workbooks available on the list will be the ones that are currently open so if there is a particular workbook that you want to copy to make sure that it is open.
Click Create a Copy Check box → Select Workbook
By default, the copied worksheet will become the first worksheet unless you specify where you would like it to display. Finish by clicking OK.
I would use this option if I needed a replica of the data so that I can share it with someone else or just have an alternate copy to manipulate without damaging the source data.
The move or copy window allows you to dictate what workbook your new copy will appear in. Additionally, you can select the order in which the worksheet tab will appear.
Created by Joshua Crowder
References
Microsoft. (n.d.). Move or copy worksheets or worksheet data. Office Support. //support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/move-or-copy-worksheets-or-worksheet-data-47207967-bbb2-4e95-9b5c-3c174aa69328.
This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.
© 2021 Joshua Crowder