Share via

Excel Ignoring Tabs When Pasting From Word

Anonymous
2017-05-03T18:04:18+00:00

Hi ... I suspect I somehow clicked on some option without realizing and I can't figure out how to get it back to normal ...

For no reason I can think of, Excel is ignoring tab stops when I paste text from Word into Excel.  Up till now, I copy the line of text with tabs from word and paste into a spreadsheet and the text separates into columns.  (Simple copy and paste - Cntr C in Word then Cntr V in Excel)

Now, instead of taking my line of text with four tabs and pasting into Columns A, B, C, D, it is pasting the entire text in column A.  Tabs are ignored, not even replaced by a space.  The only way I can get it to paste properly is to go into paste special and choose "Text".  (Choices in paste special are:

Microsoft Word Document Object

Picture (Enhanced Metafile)

Unicode Text

Text

How can I get back to a simple copy (text with tabs from Word) to paste (in Excel with text separating into Columns at tabs)

Thanks!

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For home | Windows

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments

Answer accepted by question author

Anonymous
2017-08-05T23:57:12+00:00

Just tried pasting text with tabs again, and for the first time since May 3rd, it worked!  Here are the current version numbers I'm running ...16.0.8269.2886  version 1706 (Build 82292103)

For such a giant flaw, it sure took a long time to fix ... Glad our long national nightmare has come to an end!

CHEERS

Was this answer helpful?

3 people found this answer helpful.
0 comments

29 additional answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2017-05-04T07:51:15+00:00

    Hi Fred,

    This is certainly something that we should work on. Please click here and check if your Paste Special option is enabled. To customize your paste option check Cut, Copy, and Paste.

    Feel free to post back should you need further assistance.

    Was this answer helpful?

    2 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2017-05-17T14:46:02+00:00

    I have posted the "idea" in the excel user voice site.

    I feel somewhat unloved that I'm posting it as "an idea", when this is a broken behaviour that we need to be remedied as soon as possible. If there is some way to change it from an idea to a recognised bug that Microsoft will take seriously, we would feel much more appreciated.

    https://excel.uservoice.com/forums/304921-excel-for-windows-desktop-application/suggestions/19310818-restore-the-pasting-of-tab-separated-text-into-col

    Other users: please vote this issue up so that it gets noticed. I should not have to chase this whilst I'm on holiday, but it's a critical thing for us!

    Thank you.

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2017-05-05T15:27:31+00:00

    Thanks for the reply. We understand the difficulty when things won't work the way it should. Let us try to repair your office app. Kindly check Repair an Office application and follow the steps provided in the article.

    Post back with an updated status of this issue if you will be needing further assistance.

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2017-05-04T15:11:42+00:00

    Hi Rey ...

    I looked at the options, and all three boxes in "Cut, Copy and Paste" (Show paste options button; Show insert options buttons; Cut, copy and sort inserted buttons ...) are all checked.

    Still having the problem ... And it applies to any Excel worksheet, from any Word document (Even those Word documents and Excel worksheets that previously worked ...

    Thanks

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments