Microsoft KB Archive/61427

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Excel: Using Skip Blanks Option in Paste Special Command

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 2.1, 3.0, 4.0
 * Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 2.2, 3.0, 4.0
 * Microsoft Excel for OS/2, version 3.0

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SUMMARY
The Skip Blanks option in the Paste Special dialog box on the Edit menu affects the area being pasted into. It does not affect the copied selection itself.

If the range of cells that was copied contains a blank cell, that cell will not erase information in the cell being pasted over if Skip Blanks is selected.

MORE INFORMATION
For example:

  A1:   25   B1:     C1: Text A2:  35   B2:     C2: Text A3:       B3:     C3: Text A4:  15   B4:     C4: Text A5:       B5:     C5: Text

If cells A1:A5 are copied and then pasted normally into cells C1:C5, the contents of A1:A5 completely replace the contents of C1:C5.

If A1:A5 were copied and then pasted into C1:C5 using Edit Paste Special with the Skip Blanks option checked, C1:C5 would appear as follows:

  A1:   25   B1:     C1: 25 A2:  35   B2:     C2: 35 A3:       B3:     C3: Text A4:  15   B4:     C4: 15 A5:       B5:     C5: Text