Excel 365 - Paste - Keep Source Column Widths not pasting the data

Question

Company just upgraded to Office 365.  I have filtered data that I need to copy into a separate tab but still have the same column widths.  Excel is now "pasting" only the column widths (and formatting e.g. fill color) instead of pasting the data with the column widths kept.  This happens with the right click shortcut along with the alt+e,s,w. combination.

I have seen it work pasting the whole filtered selected group and then fail to work.  It worked with one row and then failed to work again.

Answer 1

Hi Lovey1970,

Thanks for your query in this community.

I've tested paste special > Keep Source Column Widths on my side and it will paste the column width as well as the data we selected. Please check the following gif:

 

The version I tested is Monthly Channel version 1908 Build 11929.20300, if you are not using the latest version of Office 365, please first try updating your Office products.

Install Office updates

If you are already using the latest Office version but receiving the same behavior, to help us further troubleshoot on this issue, please confirm the following information with us:

1.Please share us a screenshot on your Office version, you will find your detailed version number at File > Account.

2.Is this issue occurring on a specific workbook? If you create a new workbook and try pasting Keep Source Column Widths, will the data be copied correctly?

3.Try booting your Excel in safe mode, and check the paste behavior.

Regards,

Alex Chen

Answer 2

Hi Scott,

Have you check the behavior on your colleague's PC?

Please feel free to post back if you have any updates on this issue.

Regards,

Alex Chen

Answer 3

Alex,

Thanks for the response. 

The version is 1902 (11328.20318).  Due to corporate policies, I cannot update the version.

After some more troubleshooting, it seems to be happening when I have the data filtered.  It pastes the correct number of rows, and carries over the formatting, but not the data.  If it is not filtered, it copies as to be expected.

I've opened a new workbook and performed the above testing.

Here are some sequential screen shots.  Something that I noticed was that when I used Undo, the data briefly flashed in the correct cells before returning to the blank sheet.  I also noticed that when I hovered over the "without borders" selection, the data was previewed on the sheet.

I tried safe mode and had the same results, including the undo and "without borders" preview.

I'd love to be able to place a gif like you did, but do not have the software.

-Scott

Picture 1: Data Set in Tab 1

Picture 2: Data Set in Tab one Filtered

Picture 3: Data in Tab 3 pasted with column width kept

Picture 4: Tab 3 unfiltered data pasted with column width kept

Answer 4

Hi Scott,

Thanks for the update on this issue.

I've also tested on the filtered columns, the data in the cell could be pasted as normal. I am sorry that I was not able to revert my Office version to the 1902 (11328.20318), but I checked the version 1902  (11328.20368) under semi-annual channel, and the paste special > Keep Source Column Widths function is working as expected.

Sorry to hear that you can't update the Office by yourself, however, if this issue has a big impact on your daily work, I think it's necessary for you to feedback this issue to your organization's Office 365 administrator.

Meanwhile, to narrow down if the issue is related with your specific PC environment, please also check this behavior under your colleagues' Excel. Since your update is managed by the organization, the Office version on your colleagues' PC should be the same as yours. If you can also reproduce this issue, I think this might be a bug for this Office version. 

Regards,

Alex Chen