Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007 and 2010. 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: Linking Comments to Multiple Cells.
When you insert a comment into a worksheet, that comment is associated with a single cell. There may be times when you want to have a single comment associated with two or more cells. Unfortunately, Excel doesn't provide this capability—there is a strict one-to-one correspondence between comments and cells.
You can, however, use a workaround—create your own comments. You can do this using a text box to contain your comment, and then draw lines between the text box and whatever cells the comment applies to. If you normally want your comments hidden, then you will need to use a macro that takes care of making the text box and lines visible or invisible.
For instance, assume that you create a comment in a text box named Text Box 1. Further, assume that you have two lines leading from the text box to the cells to which the comment applies. The first line, named Line 1, leads to cell C15. The second line, named Line 2, leads to cell F7. You could add the following macro to the worksheet's object:
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007 and 2010. 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: 
Private Sub Worksheet_SelectionChange(ByVal Target As Excel.Range)
Shapes("Text Box 1").Visible = False
Shapes("Line 1").Visible = False
Shapes("Line 2").Visible = False
If Target.Address = "$C$15" Then
Shapes("Text Box 1").Visible = True
Shapes("Line 1").Visible = True
End If
If Target.Address = "$F$7" Then
Shapes("Text Box 1").Visible = True
Shapes("Line 2").Visible = True
End If
End Sub
Anytime a selection is made on the worksheet, the three objects are hidden. If cell C15 is selected, the textbox and the line appropriate line are made visible. Similarly, if cell F7 is selected, the textbox and its line are made visible.
Note:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (11285) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007 and 2010. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Linking Comments to Multiple Cells.
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2012-08-28 11:47:56
fracjackmac
I use the Paste Special command to copy comments to multiple cells using the following:
1) Select the cell with the comment that you want to duplicate.
2) Use CTRL-C to copy the cell
3) Select the cells where you want to copy the comment to (hold the CTRL key as you select cells if selecting multiple non-contiguous cells)
4) Use ALT-E S C ENTER to "Paste Special - Comments"
[ Using the ribbon - Home > Paste > Paste Special > Comments or ALT H V S C ENTER ]
2012-02-13 05:20:37
Andrew Evans
A very useful tip - better than copy / paste the same comment.
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