Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated April 8, 2023)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, Excel in Microsoft 365, and 2021
Linda often cuts and pastes information from one place to another in her workbook. If she cuts a row from one place and pastes it in another, the information is moved but the space for the original row remains in the worksheet. Linda wonders if there is a way that when she cuts and pastes the rows "close up" at the point where she cut the row.
Actually, there are a few ways you can accomplish this task, and all of them are very easy. Let's say, for example, that the rows you want to cut are rows 2 through 4. You want to paste them just before row 12. Select rows 2 through 4 and press Ctrl+X, like normal. (This puts the "marching ants" around those rows.) Next, select cell A12 or select all of row 12—it doesn't matter. Press Shift+Ctrl+=, and the rows are moved to just before the currently selected cell or cells. No data is lost, and the original rows are closed up, just as desired.
The other approach is handy if you are more comfortable using the mouse. Again select rows 2 through 4 and press Ctrl+X. Now, right-click on cell A12 so that Excel displays a Context menu. One of the choices you'll see on the menu is Insert Cut Cells. Choose this option, and the rows are moved from their old location to just before cell A12. Just like in the other approach, the original rows are closed up.
A third approach is to use drag-and-drop editing. If you select the original rows (2 through 4), you can hold down the Shift key as you drag the rows to their desired location. When you release the mouse button, the rows are moved and the space they previously occupied is closed up.
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2023-09-09 09:53:21
Roy
I can help with one thing Bob, that of being able to drag the cells. But it leaves them present in the original, that is, leaves the blank cells/rows/columns, rather than closing them up.
Select the cells (one, a block, "some", rows, columns) and press Shift, then "grab" the border and drag that border while holding Shift. That will move them, and not select more of them.
But again, it moves the data, but does not remove the cells. So no closing up.
By the way, doing this and going to a different window, for me, one on a different monitor, but presumably a different window on the same monitor, works as written above. But going to a different TAB (sheet) does not. However, pressing Alt and dragging the indicator down over a different tab does accomplish the drag and drop onto a different tab.
But still does not close up the original location.
In general, I've noticed "closing up" behaviors of any kind only work within a page/sheet/tab, and never between them. (A whole different file being basically the same as a different tab.)
2023-04-12 13:46:03
Bob
Most of the time I need to move rows to a different worksheet instead of elsewhere in the file and neither of these approaches eliminates the empty rows - and holding shift down while trying to drag-and-drop only highlights more rows instead of moving the ones I originally had highlighted. Any ideas or do I need to keep deleting the blanks after pasting?
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