Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, and 2013. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: Creating a Workbook Clone.

Creating a Workbook Clone

by Allen Wyatt
(last updated February 28, 2015)

5

There may be times when you want to make a copy of a workbook, without affecting the original. Excel provides an easy way to do this. Simply follow these steps:

  1. Display the Open dialog box. (If you are using Excel 2007, click the Office button and then click on Open. If you are using Excel 2010, click the File tab of the ribbon and then click Open. If you are using Excel 2013, click the File tab of the ribbon, click Open, then click Computer, and finally click Browse.) Excel displays the standard Open dialog box.
  2. Select the workbook you want to make a copy of.
  3. Click on the down-arrow just to the right of the Open button. Excel displays a list of different ways you can open the selected workbook.
  4. Choose the Open As Copy option. Excel opens a copy of the workbook.

The workbook that is opened use the same file name, but Excel attaches some sort of phrase to the beginning of the file name, as a prefix. For instance, you might see the file name prefixed with "Copy of" or "Copy (1)." Thus, if the original workbook you selected in step 2 is named "Budget.xlsx," what Excel creates is a workbook named "Copy of Budget.xlsx" or "Copy (1)Budget.xlsx." If you want to rename the file, you will need to either use the Save As command, or rename the workbook after closing it.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (8036) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, and 2013. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Creating a Workbook Clone.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

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What is 5 + 3?

2017-01-27 12:51:00

alush

You'er great
Thanks

2015-03-05 12:32:37

ZahirRasul

When I make a copy of the sheet in the same file at the end the format is changed. Pl let me know how to keep the format while making a copy of sheet in the same file . I am using a Mac book pro

2015-03-03 09:27:42

Glenn Case

Another option is to open the spreadsheet and Save As another name. You will then have two copies, one with the old name, and one with the new.

2015-03-02 17:05:11

Arlene Gregoire

I'm using 2010 and the "Open as Copy" option is greyed out.

2015-03-01 01:13:53

venkat

am I missing something? do not see arrow button right of OPEN. excel 2007

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