CCC Tutorial: Using Excel’s Paste Special to Copy Complex Items

How often do you paste data into an Excel spreadsheet or from one Excel spreadsheet to another? So often that you use command + V without even realizing it. It is second nature. What happens when you need to copy and paste complex items? This is where Paste Special becomes your best friend.

Paste Special gives you the control to paste and format data in different ways according to your desired outcome. This tutorial will show you how to use Paste Special in Excel.

When you have an Excel file open, copy the data that you want to paste and format.

Go to Edit > Paste > Paste Special to see the dialog box.

Paste Special Dialog Box

Select your Paste option. You can use the following table to understand each option.

Paste option	Action
All	Pastes all cell contents and formatting of the copied data.
Formulas	Pastes only the formulas of the copied data as entered in the formula bar.
Values	Pastes only the values of the copied data as displayed in the cells.
Formats	Pastes only cell formatting of the copied data.
Comments	Pastes only comments attached to the copied cell.
Validation	Pastes data validation rules for the copied cells to the paste area.
All using Source theme	Pastes all cell contents in the document theme formatting that is applied to the copied data.
All except borders	Pastes all cell contents and formatting applied to the copied cell except borders.
Column widths	Pastes the width of one copied column or range of columns to another column or range of columns.
Formulas and number formats	Pastes only formulas and all number formatting options from the copied cells.
Values and number formats	Pastes only values and all number formatting options from the copied cells.

Next, select your Operation. These are mathematical operations. The following table describes each operation.

Operation	Action
None	Specifies that no mathematical operation will be applied to the copied data.
Add	Specifies that the copied data will be added to the data in the destination cell or range of cells.
Subtract	Specifies that the copied data will be subtracted from the data in the destination cell or range of cells.
Multiply	Specifies that the copied data will be multiplied with the data in the destination cell or range of cells.
Divide	Specifies that the copied data will be divided by the data in the destination cell or range of cells.
Skip blanks	Avoids replacing values in your paste area when blank cells occur in the copy area when you select this check box.
Transpose	Changes columns of copied data to rows and vice versa when you select this check box.
Paste Link	Links the pasted data on the active worksheet to the copied data.

Next, Click OK. That’s it. Once you understand the different options in Paste Special, you will be able to copy and paste complex items quickly and efficiently.

In two weeks, we will be taking this a step further and show you keyboard shortcuts for Paste Special. If you have questions about Excel or you would like us to conduct a training class for your organization, please contact us.

When you stack magnets, their power is exponential.

Stacking Magnets

Think about your best clients and what actions they took when first buying from you. Build magnets based on these actions. Here are examples of how to stack magnets:

Fractional CFO Service Company

TOFU – Cash-Flow Forecast Template for Founders.
MOFU – 3-part email class on “Scaling from 500K to 5M using videos.
BOFU – Free 30-minute “Financial Check” with a 90-day pilot option.

. Residential HVAC / Plumbing Contractor

TOFU – Seasonal Maintenance Checklist to Avoid Breakdowns
MOFU – Educational videos on “What To Check Before Calling For Help.
BOFU – Free home system inspection plus a discount on annual plans.

Specialty Retailer or E-Commerce Shop

TOFU – “Find Your Perfect Product Style” quiz with personalized recommendations and a small first-order discount.
MOFU – How-To Guides, Lookbooks, and Comparisons

BOFU – Limited-time starter kit, cart-abandonment coupons, and free shipping.

This “magnet stack” approach—clear value at each stage, linked to your core offer—will pull the right prospects from curiosity to commitment.

Getting it Done

Apex Advisory Group, a professional services firm, had four sales reps plus the owner selling and servicing clients, but deals were inconsistent and follow-up was ad-hoc.

Apex engaged CCC, www.cccsolutions.com, to help build their sustainable sales pipeline. The team focused on the ideal client’s journey, selected magnets, and created a sales process to manage prospects. The magnets were:

TOFU – Risk and Readiness Checklist.

MOFU – Quarterly Webinars and Case Studies

BOFU – Business Circle Invitation

CCC set up X2CRM to segment, track, and reach prospects and remind salespeople to follow up. At every stage, the CRM captured new information and responded based on specific prospect actions.

Apex Today

Apex now has a repeatable sales engine: Their magnets consistently attract new prospects, X2CRM nurtures and scores them, and the sales team focuses its energy on the best opportunities.

With CCC Solutions guiding strategy and configuration, Apex built a sustainable, measurable pipeline that increased sales while reducing the chaos of manual follow-up.

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