Copy/Paste Function Not Working in Excel Mac Office 2011

Question

I've never seen this before and I couldn't find answers on the forums, so I decided to post my own question.

I was running a simple formula (=C1/B1) that I wanted to copy and paste down a row. When I pasted the formula, however, only the values of the copied cells appeared, but clicking in the cell revealed that the correctformula had been pasted.

For example...

I'd copy the following formula from cell D1:

[B1: 50][C1: 25][D1: = C1/B1]  where it showed D1 = 50%

And when I'd paste that formula into D2...

[B2: 50][C2: 50][D2: = C2/B2] where it showed D2 = 50% when D2 should equal 100%

Can anyone help me figure this out?

Answer 1

You've accidentally changed the Preference setting in Excel> Preferences - Calculation to Manual rather than Automatic -- rather simple to do since it has been added to the Ribbon, itself :-)

Do either of the following;

• Go to Excel> Preferences - Calculation & select the Automatic option, or
• On the Formulas tab> Calculation group, click the Settings button & choose Calculate Automatically, or
• Leave the setting as it is if you prefer & use the keyboard shortcut Command+= (or the buttons in that same Calculation group )when you want to recalculate the workbook

Answer 2

Alternatively, I often share spreadsheets with PC users. Could their preferences somehow transfer to my mac when I share the document???

That could be a possibility but only for the particular file.

Any preference they put in a file tavels with the file and remains unless you change it. 

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Answer 3

Thanks! This saved my life! However, I did not accidently change that setting because I never use the formula tab on the ribbon and that is the only place I could find such a shortcut after reading your answer. Are you sure it didnt reset in one of the many microsoft office updates? Alternatively, I often share spreadsheets with PC users. Could their preferences somehow transfer to my mac when I share the document???

Answer 4

Thank you! That fixed it.