Unlock the Ultimate Excel Trick: Learn How to Effortlessly Move Columns and Revolutionize Your Data Management!
Excel is an integral part of our lives, whether we are in education, business, or working on personal projects. It helps us organize and manage data, and with its powerful features, we can analyze and interpret it in a matter of seconds. However, managing data in excel can be challenging, especially when we need to move columns. Fortunately, Excel has a nifty trick that makes moving columns effortless and quick. In this article, we will explore this ultimate Excel trick and how it can revolutionize your data management.
The Problem with Moving Columns in Excel
If you have used excel, you know how challenging it can be to move columns. Clicking and dragging columns can be time-consuming and frustrating, especially when you have a lot of data. Also, it can be difficult to arrange columns in the desired order when you have numerous columns to move around. Moreover, manually copying and pasting columns can lead to errors, and it’s a waste of time.
The Ultimate Excel Trick: Cut, Insert, and Move
The ultimate Excel trick to move columns involves cutting and inserting columns. It’s a straightforward process that will save you time and simplify your data management. Here’s how to do it:
Step 1: Select the column(s) you want to move
To move one column, click on the column letter at the top of the column. To select multiple columns, click and drag over the column letters.
Step 2: Cut the selected column(s)
Right-click on the selected column(s) and select “cut” or press “Ctrl + X”. The selected columns will disappear, leaving blank space in their previous position.
Step 3: Insert the cut column(s)
Click on the column letter where you want to insert the cut column(s). Then, right-click and select “Insert Cut Cells” or press “Ctrl + Shift + +”. The inserted column(s) will occupy the space you selected, and the columns to the right will shift to the right.
Step 4: Clean up and repeat
Now, you can repeat the process to move columns to other positions. Once you move your columns, you may need to adjust your formulas or references accordingly.
Benefits of The Ultimate Excel Trick
The ultimate Excel trick is a game-changer for data management. It provides several benefits, including:
Saves time and improves productivity: You can move columns with a few clicks, speeding up your work and allowing you to focus on more critical tasks.
Reduces errors: When copying and pasting data, there is a high risk of errors. However, with the ultimate Excel trick, you can cut and insert to ensure accuracy.
Simplifies arranging columns: It can be challenging to arrange columns manually, especially when you have many columns. The ultimate Excel trick simplifies the process, allowing you to arrange columns in seconds.
Enhances flexibility: With the ultimate Excel trick, you can move columns around to suit your needs, making your data management more flexible.
In conclusion, managing data in excel can be challenging, particularly when you need to move columns. However, with the ultimate Excel trick, you can move columns with ease, saving time, reducing errors, simplifying arranging columns, and enhancing flexibility. Whether you are a student, a business owner, or working on personal projects, learning this trick will revolutionize your data management. So give it a try, and experience the power of the ultimate Excel trick.
This article covers how to move a column in Excel using the mouse, cut and paste a column, and rearrange columns using the Data Sort function. These instructions apply to Microsoft Excel 2019 and 2016 as well as Excel in Office 365.
What to Know
- The easiest way to move a column in Excel is to highlight it, press Shift, and drag it to the new location.You can also use cut & paste or do Data Sort to rearrange columns from the Data tab.Columns that are part of a merged group of cells will not move.
Move Columns Using Your Mouse
There are several ways to rearrange the columns in an Excel worksheet, but one is easier than all the others. It just takes a highlight and a drag-and-drop motion. Here’s how to move columns in Excel using your mouse.
- In the worksheet where you want to rearrange columns, place your cursor over the top of the column you want to move. You should see your cursor change to an arrow. When it does, click to highlight the column.
- Next, press and hold the Shift key on the keyboard and then click and hold on the right or left border of the column you want to move and drag it to the right or left.
- As you drag your cursor across the columns, you’ll see the borders darken to indicate where the new column will appear. When you’re happy with the location, release the mouse click.
- You column will be moved to the location indicated by the darker border.
Move a Column in Excel With Cut and Paste
The next easiest way to move a column in Excel is to cut and paste the column from the old location to the new. This works much as you would expect it.
In the worksheet where you want to rearrange columns, place your cursor over the top of the column you want to move. You should see your cursor change to an arrow. When it does, click to highlight the column.
Next, press and hold the Shift key on the keyboard and then click and hold on the right or left border of the column you want to move and drag it to the right or left.
As you drag your cursor across the columns, you’ll see the borders darken to indicate where the new column will appear. When you’re happy with the location, release the mouse click.
You column will be moved to the location indicated by the darker border.
- Highlight the column you want to move, and then press Ctrl + X on your keyboard to cut the column from its current location. You’ll see the “marching ants” around the column to indicate it has been cut from its current location.
- Next, highlight a column to the right of where you want to move the cut column to, and right-click. In the menu, select Insert Cut Cells.
- The new column is inserted to the left of the selected column.
Move Columns Using a Data Sort
Moving columns with a data sort is probably not the easiest way to move things around if you only have one or two columns that need to be moved, but if you have a large spreadsheet and you want to change the order of numerous columns, this little trick could be a major time saver.
Highlight the column you want to move, and then press Ctrl + X on your keyboard to cut the column from its current location. You’ll see the “marching ants” around the column to indicate it has been cut from its current location.
Next, highlight a column to the right of where you want to move the cut column to, and right-click. In the menu, select Insert Cut Cells.
The new column is inserted to the left of the selected column.
- To start, you need to add a row to the very top of your spreadsheet. To do this, right-click the first row and select Insert from the context menu.
- A new row is inserted above your top row. This row must be at the top of the page, above all other header rows or rows of information.
- Go through your spreadsheet and number the columns in the order you want them to appear in the spreadsheet by entering a number in the new top row. Be sure to number every column you’re using.
- Next, select all the data in the spreadsheet that you want to rearrange. Then on the Data tab, in the Sort & Filter group, click Sort.
- In the Sort dialog box, click Options.
- In the Sort Options dialog box, click the radio button next to Sort left to right and then click OK.
- You’re returned to the Sort dialog box. In the Sort By drop down menu select Row 1 and then click OK.
- This should sort your columns according to the numbers you listed in that first row. Now you can right click the first row and select Delete to get rid of it.
This method will not work if you have Data Validation in place on your existing columns. To proceed, you’ll need to remove data validation. To do so, highlight the cells with data validation, select Data Validation > Settings > Clear All, and click OK.
To start, you need to add a row to the very top of your spreadsheet. To do this, right-click the first row and select Insert from the context menu.
A new row is inserted above your top row. This row must be at the top of the page, above all other header rows or rows of information.
Go through your spreadsheet and number the columns in the order you want them to appear in the spreadsheet by entering a number in the new top row. Be sure to number every column you’re using.
Next, select all the data in the spreadsheet that you want to rearrange. Then on the Data tab, in the Sort & Filter group, click Sort.
In the Sort dialog box, click Options.
In the Sort Options dialog box, click the radio button next to Sort left to right and then click OK.
You’re returned to the Sort dialog box. In the Sort By drop down menu select Row 1 and then click OK.
This should sort your columns according to the numbers you listed in that first row. Now you can right click the first row and select Delete to get rid of it.
- How do I unhide columns in Excel?
- To unhide any single column in Excel, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+0. (You must select at least one column on either side of a hidden column or columns to unhide them.) You can also go to the Home tab > Cells group, select Format > Visibility > Hide & Unhide, and then select Unhide Columns.
- How do I add columns in Excel?
- To add columns in Excel, right-click the top of the column and select Insert. You can also go to the Home tab > Cells group and select Insert > Insert Sheet Columns.
- How do I combine two columns in Excel?
- To combine two columns in Excel, insert a new column near the two columns (A2 and B2 in this example) you want to combine. Select the first cell below the heading of the new column (C2) and enter =CONCATENATE(A2," “,B2) into the formula bar. This combines the data in cell A2 with the data in cell B2, with a space between them.
To unhide any single column in Excel, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+0. (You must select at least one column on either side of a hidden column or columns to unhide them.) You can also go to the Home tab > Cells group, select Format > Visibility > Hide & Unhide, and then select Unhide Columns.
To add columns in Excel, right-click the top of the column and select Insert. You can also go to the Home tab > Cells group and select Insert > Insert Sheet Columns.
To combine two columns in Excel, insert a new column near the two columns (A2 and B2 in this example) you want to combine. Select the first cell below the heading of the new column (C2) and enter =CONCATENATE(A2,” “,B2) into the formula bar. This combines the data in cell A2 with the data in cell B2, with a space between them.
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