Move Cells, Rows and Columns in Excel

When you move or copy rows and columns, by default Excel moves or copies all data that they contain, including formulas and their resulting values, comments, cell formats, and hidden cells. When you copy cells that contain a formula, the relative cell references are not adjusted. Therefore, the contents of cells and of any cells that point to them might display the #REF! error value. If that happens, you can adjust the references manually.

This post discuses about moving cells, rows and columns in Excel.

When you copy cells that contain a formula, the relative cell references are not adjusted. Therefore, the contents of cells and of any cells that point to them might display the #REF! error value. If that happens, you can adjust the references manually.

Insert Cells, Rows and Columns

To insert cell(s)

• Select the cell or cell range where you want to insert the new cells.
• Click the Insert button list arrow.
• Select Insert Cells.
  
• The Insert dialog box appears. Select how you want to move the adjacent cells:
  1. Shift cells right: Shift existing cells to the right.
  2. Shift cells down: Shift existing cells down.
  3. Entire row: Insert an entire row.
  4. Entire column: Insert an entire column.
• Click OK.

Blank cells are inserted and the existing ones move according to your selection. Following image shows new movement of selected cells (as shown above), when we choose Shift cells down from insert menu.

Similarly we can insert rows and columns by choosing appropriate option in Insert menu as shown above.

We can also insert entire row/column also. To insert a new column

• Go to the desired column, and selected it by clicking on column header.
• Right click and select the Insert option.
• A new column will be insert to the left.

Move Cells

Now let’s check out how to move cells to a different area of a spreadsheet.

• Select the cell or cell range you want to move.
• Move the mouse pointer over the outline of the selected cells. It would display the move icon (a four directional arrow icon).
• Click and drag the cells to the new location.

Move Rows and Columns

To move the selected row to some other row

• Select the row(s) that you want to move.
• Hold the Shift Key from your keyboard.
• Move your cursor to the edge of the selection. It would display the move icon (a four directional arrow icon).
• Click on the edge while still holding the shift key.
• Move it to the row where you want this row to be shifted.
• Leave the Shift-key.
• Selected row should move to desired place.

Similarly we can move column(s) in the Microsoft Excel.