How to Paste Excel Data into Multiple Cells, Columns and Rows

Microsoft Excel 2007 is an excellent organizational tool, particularly for accounting purposes. Importing information into Excel allows you to organize and manipulate data in many ways. However, sometimes when you import information into Excel, it doesn't hold the format you intended. Data may not be separated into multiple cells, but instead is crammed into one, making it difficult to utilize the extracted data. Fortunately, Microsoft Excel has flexible tools to deal with this problem.

How to Paste Excel Data into Multiple Cells, Columns and Rows

To paste excel data into multiple cells, columns and rows, save whatever data you want to paste in excel into a notepad file and save it to your desktop. For this example we will call the file Data.txt.

Open Microsoft Excel and click the "Data" tab. Click on the "From Text" on the left-hand side on the toolbar, or ribbon. Select the file to be imported, in my case, I am using Data.txt. This brings up the "Text Import Wizard."

Select "Delimited." This is necessary to be able to select what the data is separated by, if your data isn't perfectly aligned. If it is, simply click on "Fixed Width" and select "Next." This will allow you to create your own cell breaks.

Select "Next."

Select your delimiter, which is what separates pieces of your data. Keep in mind that as you select your delimiter (Tab, Semicolon, comma, space or other), you can see the result of the action in the data preview box. For "Other" you can specify your designation, such as if there were a dollar sign between each column. If you have at least one space (it doesn't have to be the same amount of space between each group of data), you can use the "Space" option.

Use the smallest number of options possible to minimize errors. If using "Space", be sure to deselect "Tab," if selected.

Then click "Next." Also, you can click "Finish" once the data preview box shows the data as you want it separated.

Once you've selected "Next" you will have the option to change each column's data format. If you don't need to, simply click "Finish." Otherwise, highlight each column and change as necessary.

Once you click "Finish," you will need to select where you want to import your data. You can select the existing worksheet or a new worksheet. Be sure to click on the cell where you want the information to begin being inserted to. Then click "OK."