Creating a Worksheet Copy by Default

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated September 24, 2022)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365


Jim creates his invoices using an Excel worksheet. He often needs to copy the worksheet to a different workbook, which he does by displaying the Move or Copy dialog box and going through the steps necessary. He wonders if it is possible to have the "Create a Copy" check box selected, by default, in the Move or Copy dialog box.

There is no way to set the default for the dialog box as you desire; Excel simply doesn't have the ability to save such a change. No doubt the setting could be tweeked by using a macro, but if you are going to go the route of creating a macro, you should take the extra steps of simply recording the entire process. You could turn on the macro recorder and then go through your steps to copy the worksheet. The trick to getting started is to simply write down the steps you want the macro to follow and then follow those steps as you record the macro.

Once the macro is recorded you could then modify it to make it much more powerful than just copying the worksheet to a different workbook. (For instance, you could have the macro provide a new name for the copied worksheet, if desired.) Such changes, though, could be done over time,a s you have the need and the inclination.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (9039) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365.

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. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Working while a Macro is Running

If you have a macro that takes a long time to process a workbook, you might want to continue working in Excel while the ...

Discover More

Getting Rid of Cells Containing Only Spaces

If you have a worksheet that contains a bunch of cells that contain nothing but spaces, you may be looking for a way to ...

Discover More

Understanding the If ... End If Structure

One of the powerful programming structures provided in VBA allows you to conditionally execute commands. The If ... End ...

Discover More

Excel Smarts for Beginners! Featuring the friendly and trusted For Dummies style, this popular guide shows beginners how to get up and running with Excel while also helping more experienced users get comfortable with the newest features. Check out Excel 2013 For Dummies today!

More ExcelTips (ribbon)

Creating a Copy without Formulas

Excel makes copying worksheets (duplicating them) rather easy. However, you may want a worksheet copy that differs from ...

Discover More

Protecting a Single Worksheet

Excel allows you to protect your worksheets easily, and that includes if you need to protect only a single worksheet out ...

Discover More

Selecting All Visible Worksheets in a Macro

Do you need your macro to select all the visible worksheets (and just the visible ones)? It's not as easy as it sounds, ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is nine more than 7?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


This Site

Got a version of Excel that uses the ribbon interface (Excel 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the menu interface.

Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.