Intermittent Excel Online Copy/Paste Error – “Retrieving data. Wait a few seconds and try to cut or copy again.

Thank you for your suggestions and questions. Please find the details below:

1. When did this issue start? The issue has been occurring for some time. Not all users are affected, but most users in our organization experience it intermittently.

2. Does the error occur only with formulas or also plain values? The issue occurs only when formulas are involved. Even small sets of data with formulas cannot be copied. Plain values are not affected.

3. Network type This occurs on our corporate network. VPN is not used.

4. Does the issue occur with certain files or randomly? The issue occurs randomly across different files, including newly created Excel files that contain formulas.

5. Troubleshooting already performed We have already tried all suggested steps without success:

Signing out and back into Microsoft 365

Opening Excel Online in Incognito/Private mode

Disconnecting VPN (not applicable, corporate network only)

Clearing clipboard through Windows Settings and Clipboard History

Tested across multiple browsers and sessions

Tested using Excel Desktop application

Despite these steps, the error “Retrieving data. Wait a few seconds and try to cut or copy again.” continues to appear, and the paste operation fails whenever formulas are involved.

Dear @Heshan Muthudarshana, 

Good day! Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum! 

Based on your description, I understand that you’re experiencing an intermittent issue in Microsoft Excel Online where copying data that includes formulas from one workbook to another fails, and you see the error message “Retrieving data. Wait a few seconds and try to cut or copy again.” This problem also occasionally occurs when copying from Excel Online to Excel Desktop, despite completing all recommended troubleshooting steps such as checking internet stability, clearing browser cache, disabling extensions, and testing across different browsers and in Excel Desktop Safe Mode.

I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused by this issue.

Thank you for taking the time and efforts to do all the troubleshooting steps.

To understand the situation better and provide you with the most suitable support, could you confirm the following information: 

• When did this start issue start happening? Does it affect everyone in your organization?
• Does the error occur only when formulas are involved, or also with plain values?
• Is this happening on a corporate network, VPN, or home network?
• Does the issue occur every time with certain files, or randomly across different files?

Your confirmation would be very helpful in ensuring you receive the most suitable support!

In the meantime, kindly try the following suggestions to check what might have caused the issue:

• Sign out and sign back in: You could refresh your session by signing out of Microsoft 365 and signing back in to try pasting in Excel Online again. This can help clear temporary sync issues
• Try Incognito/Private Mode: Kindly open the browser in private mode to rule out cached scripts or conflicting extensions
• Disconnect VPN: If you are using a VPN, please try disconnecting temporarily and attempt the copy/paste action again. This helps rule out any network-related delays or restrictions that might be causing the error
• Clear the Clipboard:
  • Option 1: Through Windows Settings
    • Press Windows Key + I to open Settings
    • Select System
    • Click Clipboard on the left menu
    • Under Clear clipboard data, click Clear
  • Option 2: Using the Clipboard History shortcut
    • Press Windows Key + V
    • A Clipboard History window will open
    • Select Clear All at the top to remove all stored items
  • Clearing it helps free up memory and often restores normal performance right away

I hope this information is helpful. Please follow these steps and let me know if it works for you. If not, we can work together to resolve this.

Please understand that our initial response does not always resolve the issue immediately. However, with your help and more detailed information, we can work together to find a solution.

Kindly let me know when there are updates or if you need further assistance. Any updates you’re able to share would be really helpful. I appreciate your time and look forward to hearing how things are going! 

Thank you for your time and patience.

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment". 

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread. 

All the suggested troubleshooting steps have been carried out, including:

Verifying a stable internet connection

Testing with supported browsers

Clearing browser cache and cookies

Disabling browser add-ins/extensions

Testing across different browsers

Testing Excel Desktop in Safe Mode

Despite completing all the above steps, the issue still persists intermittently when copying data (including formulas) from Excel Online. The error message “Retrieving data. Wait a few seconds and try to cut or copy again.” continues to appear, and the paste operation fails.

The intermittent copy/paste error you are experiencing in Excel Online, particularly the message "Retrieving data. Wait a few seconds and try to cut or copy again," can be attributed to several factors. Here are some troubleshooting steps you can consider:

1. Check Internet Connection: Ensure that your internet connection is stable, as connectivity issues can affect the performance of Excel Online.
2. Browser Compatibility: Make sure you are using a supported browser for Excel Online. Sometimes, browser extensions or settings can interfere with functionality.
3. Clear Browser Cache: Clearing the cache and cookies of your browser may help resolve temporary issues that could be causing the error.
4. Disable Add-ins: If you are using any browser add-ins or extensions, try disabling them to see if they are causing conflicts with Excel Online.
5. Try Different Browsers: If the issue persists, try accessing Excel Online from a different browser to see if the problem is specific to the one you are currently using.
6. Use Safe Mode: If you are also experiencing issues when copying to Excel Desktop, try starting Excel in Safe Mode to see if the problem persists there as well. This can help identify if an add-in is causing the issue.

If the problem continues after trying these steps, it may be beneficial to report the issue to Microsoft Support for further assistance, especially since it is impacting your daily operations.

References:

• Troubleshoot restricting cut, copy, and paste between applications
• "Excel cannot complete this task with available resources" error occurs in Excel 2010