MS Office 101

Moving Right Next Door

As I'm sure we all know, you can re-arrange worksheets in an MS Excel file with a simple click-hold-and-drag of the sheet tab.

But, did you know that you can also move worksheets from one workbook to another using the same method?

No?

Well, good news—you can, and it's really as easy as it sounds.

First, open both workbooks. (The one with the worksheet and the one to which the worksheet needs to be relocated.)

I then arranged my workbooks side by side using the Window menu, Arrange choice then making a choice from the Arrange window. Click OK.

Next you need to click and hold the sheet tab to be moved.

Now, still holding down the left mouse button, drag the sheet tab into the other file.

You'll see the small triangle that appears when a sheet is moved so you can tell where it will be located.

When it's where you need it to be, simply release the mouse button.

Voila!

Sheet moved from one workbook to another—no fuss, no muss!

Office Tip of the Day

Lost In Worksheets

Have you ever found yourself feeling lost while trying to move a worksheet inside a huge workbook?

I mean, you've got 20 or 30 worksheets and you're trying to click on the sheet tab and drag it to its new home. So now you're patiently waiting for the tabs to scroll by while you continue to hold that mouse button.

Oops—you just flew by the location you needed—time to go the other way.

Whew!

You finally found the right spot and you quickly release the mouse button, all the while hoping that you didn't bump the mouse causing the sheet to drop into the wrong slot.

Sound familiar?

If you answered "yes" then I may have a solution to alleviate your sheet-moving frustrations.

Instead of the old "click and drag" method try a "right click" method.

When you right click on a sheet tab a menu will appear. (Even better—if you have several sheets to move together highlight all tabs of sheets to be moved, using the Ctrl key while you click, and then right click to begin the move.)

Choose Move or Copy from the list. (You can also access this feature through the Edit menu, Move or Copy Sheet choice.)

The window that opens gives you all you need to put that worksheet where you want it on the first try.

The first field "To book:" allows you to choose which file you move the sheet to. (So, if you didn't like the drag process from the Office 101 tip then this is another option!)

The drop down list will include all workbooks currently open.

Pick the correct workbook. (If you're going to keep the sheet within the same file then you shouldn't have to change this field at all.)

The next area is where you choose a new location within the file for the worksheet.

All worksheets are listed for the book chosen in the first field.

Notice it's labeled as "Before sheet:". It means exactly what it says—it will relocate the sheet to be directly before the location you select.

Towards the bottom, I'm sure you've already noticed it, there's a box to check to change the move to a copy.

If you check this box Excel will put a duplicate of the worksheet in the new location.

You will also find that Excel can't have two sheets with the same name—it will begin to add a number after the sheet name to make them different. For example, "Payments" will become "Payments (2)" if you make a copy.

When you've made all you decisions simply click OK.

Poof!

Sheet moved or copied—your wish is Excel's command!

~ April