Moving and copying data

L E S S O N 4 Moving and copying data Suggested teaching time 50-60 minutes Lesson objectives To be able to move and copy data, you will: a b c d e Insert rows and ranges by using shortcut menu choices. Move data by using the drag-and-drop technique and the Cut and Paste buttons. Copy data by using the drag-and-drop technique, the fill handle, and the Copy and Paste buttons. Create a formula that uses cell references that do not change when copied, by using absolute references. Fill in a series of text, numbers, and dates by using the fill handle. 4-1

Excel 2000: Worksheets a Concepts > Inserting rows and ranges Selecting rows and columns To select an entire column or row, click on the column or row heading (column letter or row number). To select a group of columns or rows, drag across the headings. To select nonadjacent columns or rows, press Ctrl when clicking on the column or row headings. Shortcut menus Shortcut menus contain often-used commands for the selected data. To display a shortcut menu, first select the range of cells that you want to affect; then place the mouse pointer on the selected range and click the right mouse button. Inserting and deleting rows and columns To insert entire rows or columns, select one or more rows or columns, and choose Insert from the shortcut menu. Rows or columns are inserted through all 65,536 rows or 256 columns of the worksheet. (Note: You can also choose Insert, Rows or Insert, Columns from the main menu.) You can delete columns and rows by choosing Delete from the shortcut menu. & We are going to insert a row for a new salesperson. Eastern Regions Report Task A-1: Inserting rows; using shortcut menus q Objective: To insert rows at the top of the worksheet. 1. Open Eastern Regions Report 2. Press A + d To see the Mideastern Region data, located one screen to the right of the Northeastern Region data. 3. Press C + h To return to the Northeastern Region data. 4. Place the mouse pointer on the row heading labeled 1 5. Drag down through the headings for rows 1 and 2 To select two rows across the entire worksheet. 4-2

Lesson 4: Moving and copying data 6. Point to any portion of the selected rows A convention followed in this course is to use the shortcut menus as much as possible. When a command is not available through a shortcut menu, then the main menu bar will be used. Click the right mouse button on the selected area A shortcut menu is displayed; this menu provides commands that can be used on only the selected portion of the worksheet. 7. Choose _Insert_ To insert two rows across the entire worksheet. 8. Select the row heading for row 8 (Click on it.) 9. Click the right mouse button When students perform step 10, they will see that they have inserted the row across the entire width of the worksheet. This method of inserting is not appropriate when you do not want to interrupt data in other columns. Concepts > Choose _Insert_ A row is inserted above the selected row. 10. Press A + d To display the Mideastern Region data. The inserted row splits the data. 11. Click on the Undo button To undo the insertion of a new row at row 8. Inserting a range of cells If you do not want to affect the entire worksheet, you can choose to insert blank cells within a range and shift other cells down or to the right. To insert a range of cells: select the range in which you would like to insert the blank cells, choose Insert from the shortcut menu (or choose Insert, Cells from the main menu), and indicate whether you want to shift the selected cells down or to the right. Note: Inserting a range of cells prevents any worksheet data from being lost. For this reason, inserting ranges is often preferable to cutting and pasting data. 4-3

Excel 2000: Worksheets Task A-2: Inserting a range of cells 1. Select cell C11 What range does this formula sum? C6:C9 2. Select the range B8:G8 3. Place the mouse pointer on the selected range, and then click the right mouse button Choose _Insert..._ 4. Verify that Shift Cells Down is selected Click on OK To insert empty cells in the selected range and shift the selected cells down. 5. Press A + d The Mideastern Region data has not been split. By shifting the cells down, you affected only the specified range. 6. Press C + h To return to cell A1. 7. Select cell C12 What range does this formula sum? C6:C10. The range has expanded to include the inserted cell. When students type the N in Newberry, the word Name appears in the cell. Excel detects that you have the word Name in this column and retypes it in case you want to use this again. As students continue typing, the suggestion Name goes away. 8. Select the range B8:G8 In cell B8, enter Newberry 9. In cell C8, enter 150 The January total updates to include the entry for the new salesperson. 4-4

Lesson 4: Moving and copying data Point out that before students use AutoSum they should ensure that the range is selected. Otherwise, they will not achieve the desired result. Practice Task 1. In the remaining cells of the inserted range, enter the following data: In cell D8, enter 200 In cell E8, enter 125 In cell F8, enter 185 2. In cell G8, with the range B8:G8 still selected, click on the AutoSum button. The sum is 660. 4-5

Excel 2000: Worksheets b Concepts > Moving data You can move and copy data among worksheets, workbooks, or other applications. When data is moved, the cell contents are removed and pasted to another location. When you paste the contents of cells you overwrite the existing cell contents. To move data, you can use any of the following methods: Select the data; choose Edit, Cut; select the destination; and choose Edit, Paste. (Or, from the shortcut menu, choose the Cut and Paste commands.) Select the data; click on the Cut button; select the destination; and click on the Paste button. Note: You will need to use one of these first two techniques when you need to move data from one sheet to another or when you move data to a location not on the displayed portion of the worksheet. Select the data; place the mouse pointer at an edge of the selection; drag (press and hold the mouse button) to the new destination; and drop the selection (release the mouse button). This is called the drag-and-drop technique. Task B-1: Moving data by dragging it q Objective: To move the heading Northeastern Region above the data. Mouse pointers 1. Select cell A3 You will move the text Books and Beyond - Northeastern Region to cell B2. 2. Position the mouse pointer over the border of cell A3 The mouse pointer changes into an arrow. 3. Press and hold the mouse button Encourage students to use the drag-and-drop method when they are moving data a short distance on the worksheet. Mention that this technique can be used on a range of cells, too. 4. Drag to cell B2 Release the mouse button The heading text has been moved to cell B2. 4-6

Lesson 4: Moving and copying data Practice Task Encourage students to use the Cut and Paste buttons when they are moving a large portion of the worksheet and they need to scroll to view the destination. 1. By using the drag-and-drop method, move the contents of cell B5 to cell B4. 2. By using the drag-and-drop method, move the contents of cell J3 to cell K2. 3. By using the drag-and-drop method, move the contents of cell K5 to cell K4. Task B-2: Moving data by using the Cut and Paste buttons 1. Verify that the Mideastern Region is displayed 2. Select the range K2:P16 This is the range to be moved. 3. Click on the Cut button 4. Press C + h (On the Standard toolbar.) A marquee surrounds the selected range. 5. Select cell B18 You need to indicate only the upper-left corner of the range to which you are moving data. 6. Click on the Paste button Scroll to view the entire pasted range The range of data is moved to cells B18:G32. 7. Press C + h 8. Save the file as My Eastern Regions Report 4-7

Excel 2000: Worksheets c Concepts > Copying data Contents of cells can also be copied from one location to another. To copy data, you can use any of the following methods: Select the data; choose Edit, Copy; select the destination; and choose Edit, Paste. (Or, from the shortcut menu, choose the Copy and Paste commands.) Select the data; click on the Copy button; select the destination; and click on the Paste button. Select the data; point to the border of the cell range; while pressing the Ctrl key, drag to the new location; and release the mouse button (drag-and-drop). Select the data; drag the fill handle (the box displayed in the lower-right corner of the selection) on the selection to the adjacent cells to which the data should be copied; and release the mouse button. Select a range to which you would like to have data entered and copied; type the entry that you want entered and copied; and, while in Edit mode, press Ctrl + Enter. Task C-1: Copying text q Objective: To copy the word Total from column B to column G. 1. Select cell B12 You will be copying the word Total. Tip: Students might find it helpful to remember that C is used with copying by remembering that both C and copy begin with the letter c. 2. Press and hold C Point to the border of cell B12 3. Press and hold the mouse button The mouse pointer changes into an arrow with a + (plus sign) on it. Drag the selection to cell G4 To copy the word Total to cell G4. 4. Release the mouse button 5. Release C The text Total is copied to cell G4. Concepts > Copying formulas with cell references Excel adjusts copied formulas so that the cell references are changed relative to their new locations. These adjusting references are known as relative references. Keep in mind that constant values (numbers and text) are just that constant. They do not change when they are copied to another location. 4-8

Lesson 4: Moving and copying data In this task, students see how to copy a formula to adjacent cells. The cells receiving the copied formulas must be adjacent to the original formula(s). Task C-2: Copying formulas by using a fill handle 1. Select cell C12 Place the mouse pointer on the fill handle (Located on the lower-right corner of the cell border.) The mouse pointer changes into a thin + (plus sign). Remind students that they must press and hold the mouse button to drag. 2. With the mouse pointer on the fill handle, drag to select the range C12:F12 3. Observe the formula bar for cells D12, E12, and F12 To copy the formula. The copied formulas contain relative references; the cell addresses have changed relative to their new positions. 4. Select the range C14:C16 You will copy the average and high sales formulas. 5. Use the fill handle to copy these formulas to the range D14:F16 Concepts > Copying formulas to nonadjacent cells You can copy formulas to a nonadjacent location by using either the Copy and Paste buttons or commands, or the Ctrl + drag method. Task C-3: Copying formulas to a nonadjacent location q Objective: To copy formulas from the Northeastern Region to the Mideastern Region. 1. Select the range C12:F16 You will copy these formulas to the Mideastern Region. Another option for copying formulas to nonadjacent locations is to use the shortcut menu (right-click) to access the Copy and Paste commands. 2. Click on the Copy button 3. Press d Select cell C28 The copied formulas will begin here. 4-9

Excel 2000: Worksheets 4. Click on the Paste button To paste copies of the Northeastern Region formulas in the Mideastern Region. 5. Observe the formulas in the range C28:F32 The copied formulas contain the appropriate cell references; they changed relative to their new positions on the worksheet. 6. Save and close the file 4-10

Lesson 4: Moving and copying data d Concepts > Absolute references You have seen that Excel adjusts cell references in formulas during the copy procedure to ensure that the copied formulas refer to the correct locations on the worksheet. There are times, however, when you might not want to adjust all of the cell references, such as when a number referred to in a formula is contained in only one cell. To prevent column or row references, or both, from changing when a formula containing them is copied, you must write the formula by using absolute references. Entering cell references by clicking on cells Typing is not always the most accurate or efficient way to enter cell references in formulas. To use the mouse to enter cell references, first type an equal sign (=), and then click on the cell to which you want to refer. You can also use the arrow keys to point to cells after you have typed the equal sign. Relative vs. absolute references Task D-1: Demonstrating that relative references are not always desirable 1. Open Commission Report 2. Select cell H8 You will enter a formula calculating Long s commission earnings. 3. Type = To start the formula. You will complete the formula by selecting cells on the worksheet. 4. Click on cell G3 This cell contains the commission rate. 5. Type * You will multiply two values. 6. Click on cell G8 This cell contains Long s total sales figure. 7. Enter the formula (Press Enter.) To display the result, 176.25, in cell H8. 8. Copy the formula in cell H8 to the range H9:H12 In many cases, it is not appropriate to show students the wrong way to do something. However, students immediately see the need for absolute references when they copy the formula. This task also reviews the concept of relative references and the Copy command. 9. Observe the formulas for cells H9:H12 As the formula was copied, the references changed relative to their new locations. In this situation, this was not the desired outcome, because the commission rate resides only in cell G3. Each commission formula needs to refer to cell G3. 4-11

Excel 2000: Worksheets Creating absolute references Concepts > To make a cell reference absolute rather than relative, insert dollar signs ($) before the column and row designation; for instance, F22 becomes $F$22. Cell references that include both relative and absolute parts are called mixed cell references. For instance, the reference F$22 in a formula ensures that the row reference will not change; this would be useful in a formula that is copied within one column to different rows. The Absolute key To place the dollar sign in a cell reference, place the insertion point in the reference and press the Absolute key, F4. You can use the Absolute key when you are typing, selecting, or editing a cell reference in a formula; continue pressing F4 to cycle through the absolute, mixed, and relative cell referencing options. Task D-2: Creating an absolute reference q Objective: To edit the formula just created so that a portion of it does not change when copied. 1. Double-click on cell H8 To edit the original formula. 2. Place the insertion point in the G3 portion of the formula 3. Press 4 Dollar signs are inserted in front of the G and the 3. The G3 reference is now an absolute reference, rather than a relative reference. Relative vs. absolute references 4. Enter the formula The formulas below reflect the results of the previous copy. Concepts > Copying formulas containing absolute references There might be occasions when you do not know that you need an absolute reference in a formula; often this is discovered after copying a formula and getting undesirable results. When this happens, you can examine the original formula, adjust the cell references as necessary, and then copy it again. 4-12

Lesson 4: Moving and copying data Task D-3: Copying a formula containing an absolute reference 1. Copy the formula in cell H8 to the range H9:H12 Give students plenty of time to view the formulas produced by the copy. Point out that the relative cell reference changes as the copy proceeds. The absolute cell reference remains fixed. 2. Observe the formulas in the range H9:H12 3. Save the file as My Commission Report They all refer to cell G3. The dollar signs prevent the cell reference from changing when copied. 4-13

Excel 2000: Worksheets e Concepts > Using the Fill Series feature You can fill a selected range of cells with a series of data. For example, you can fill cells with dates, numbers, and text/number combinations. To fill a range with numbers, enter the first number in a cell, and the second number in an adjacent cell (for example, 1, 2, or 10, 20.) Select the cells, and then drag the selection s fill handle as far as you would like cells filled with numbers. When you release the mouse button, Excel fills the range with numbers, continuing the pattern that you established with your first two entries. For more information on this feature, please refer to Filling Cells, Series in Excel s online Help. Task E-1: Experimenting with filling cells with a series of data 1. Select the Sheet2 tab Located at the bottom of the worksheet. 2. In cell A2, enter January 3. Select cell A2 Drag the fill handle to cell A13 To automatically fill the selected cells with the months of the year. If you have time, encourage students to experiment with other numeric sequences, such as 1, 5. 4. In cell B1, enter 1 In cell C1, enter 2 5. Select the range B1:C1, and drag the fill handle to cell H1 You will create a linear series beginning with the numbers 1 and 2. 4-14

Lesson 4: Moving and copying data 6. In cell B15, enter Qtr1 Drag cell B15 s fill handle to cell F15 The AutoFill feature enables you to fill cells with a series of quarters, and wraps back to the beginning after the fourth quarter. 7. Close the file without saving changes (Click on No when you are prompted to save changes.) 4-15

Excel 2000: Worksheets ( Practice Unit for Lesson 4 In this activity, you will copy and move data and insert cells. To check your work, refer to Figure 4-1. 1. Open Practice - Personal Budget. 2. Move the title in cell A1 to cell C1. 3. Copy the contents of cell C13 to the range D13:H13. 4. Insert cells for the range A6:H6 by shifting cells down. 5. Save the file as My Practice - Personal Budget 6. Close the file. Figure 4-1: The completed file My Practice - Personal Budget. 4-16

Lesson 4: Moving and copying data ) Wrap-up for Lesson 4 a Describe when you would insert a whole row in a worksheet, and when you would insert a range of cells. You would insert a range of cells if you did not want the cells in the rest of the selected rows or columns to be affected. You would insert a whole row when it would not matter that the rest of the worksheet would be affected. b What part of a selected cell do you point to in order to move it to a new location? Point to the border of a cell, so that the mouse pointer changes to an arrow. c What does the term relative copy mean? When formulas are copied, their cell references are adjusted relative to their new locations on the worksheet. d When would you use an absolute reference in a formula? When you absolutely want to refer to a particular cell, even after the formula is copied. You will often discover that you need to use an absolute reference after you have seen undesirable results from copying a formula containing relative references. e Give an example of a series that you might create in your worksheets at home or at work. Answers might include months, days, and numbers. 4-17