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, Excel in Microsoft 365, and 2021


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, Excel in Microsoft 365, and 2021.

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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