How keep target text format when copying from other source?

Admiral Awesome · 08 Oct 2016

When I have carefully created a table in an Excel 2010 and formatted each row just like I want it
and then copy text from, say, an internet site, the formatting is changed to that of the source:

whereas I of course want to keep the table formatting:

How do I keep the table/target text format when pasting using Ctrl+V? I used to know how, but forgot, so
I know it can be done (in a not-so-obvious Excel setting) w/o creating macros and using complex key-combinations.

Thank you.

Ranger4 · 08 Oct 2016

I assume you are using the Copy & Paste method for inserting the text from the internet.

I am using Excel 2013, but I think it performs the same way as Excel 2010. Although I don't copy & paste text from the internet I do a lot of copying & pasting in Excel. When I click on the insertion point that I want the copied text to start in Excel, I Right Click & that will list a selection of Paste options. I use this method rather that the keyboard Cntrl-C & the Cntrl-V, which does not provide any paste options.

You will need to try the various paste options to see which one works the best for you.

Admiral Awesome · 09 Oct 2016

Thanks Ranger4, you assume correctly. Fabulous! (oh, that was what I said in the OP "...text from, say, an internet site..." sorry).

"...Although I don't copy & paste text from the internet I do a lot of copying & pasting in Excel/.../I Right Click & that will list a selection of Paste options..."

Well, that's the easiest thing imaginable, I can do that too, obviously. But to me the <Ctrl+C>+<Ctrl+V> way is quicker as well as more elegant. Like I said I used to know how to do this, i.e. there is a way in Excel 2010 to set this permanently, but I forgot how.

It'll come to me though. Like, thx anyway.

intutivemind · 18 Nov 2016

There is difference between coping from Internet and coping from other MS Word file. If you coping from same format and same version of MS Word, then there should be no problem. But while coping text from internet, you can observe these errors frequently.

Eric3742 · 18 Nov 2016

There is this way i was using without any problem.

Do a template.

1. Design your template on a new worksheet.

2. The template should include all sort of formatting, fonts, etc.

3. Save to a location commonly use, else you may forgot the location.

4. Download the source. Do remember that the template column & rows are identical between the source and template.

5. Once download and save.

6. Open the template workbook or worksheet, whichever.

7. Copy and paste the template on to the source.

8. Save it.

Note.

If you have done your design template properly, you can test with the original source.

It is best to create the design template on the original source.
After completed the template, then remove the numbers & words.
In this way, your template will be accurately formatted accordingly.

Should there be an error, do review your template and the original source which use for the design.

Sometimes, the source may change a bit, hence you need to check for any entries being changed.

I would recommend to use Access, if the data is >10,000 rows &or items.

For Access, you can do use Pivot Tables to Excel, plus an options to include all the items or not.

Pivot table best is for large quantity.