Match Destination Formatting in Excel with This Time-Saving Shortcut

Did you know that Excel users spend an average of 10 minutes per day formatting their spreadsheet data? That’s a significant amount of time wasted on repetitive tasks. But what if there was a shortcut that could save you precious minutes and streamline your workflow?

Introducing the Match Destination Formatting shortcut in Excel. This powerful feature allows you to paste plain text or values while automatically matching the format of the destination cell or range. No more fumbling through menus or performing multiple steps to achieve the desired formatting!

Whether you’re a seasoned Excel user or just getting started, this time-saving shortcut is a game-changer. In this article, we’ll show you how to use the Match Destination Formatting shortcut, its availability, as well as provide additional tips for changing default paste options in Word and using the Quick Pick trick in Excel. Get ready to supercharge your productivity!

How to Use the Match Destination Formatting Shortcut

To make use of the time-saving Match Destination Formatting shortcut in Excel, follow these simple steps:

1. Copy the content that you want to paste into an existing worksheet.
2. Press Ctrl+Shift+V on your keyboard.
3. Depending on what you copied, the content will be pasted either with the format of the destination cell or range or as values only. This shortcut eliminates the need for extra steps and streamlines the process of pasting content with the desired formatting.

This shortcut is especially useful when you want to maintain the formatting of the destination cell or range for consistency and efficiency. It saves you the hassle of manually adjusting the formatting after pasting, allowing you to work more effectively in Excel.

Example:

Let’s say you have a table with data and formatting in one worksheet and you want to copy it to another worksheet while keeping the same formatting.

Original Table:

Pasted Table:

By using the Match Destination Formatting shortcut, you can quickly paste the table into the new worksheet with the same formatting, saving you time and effort.

By following these steps and utilizing the Match Destination Formatting shortcut, you can easily copy and paste content in Excel while maintaining the desired formatting, resulting in more efficient and effective workflow.

Changing Default Paste Options in Word

In Word, the default behavior is to preserve the original formatting when content is pasted into a document. However, users have the flexibility to change the default paste options to suit their preferences. Modifying the default paste options allows users to streamline the process and achieve consistent formatting across their documents. Here’s how you can change the default paste options in Word:

1. Open Word and navigate to the “File” tab.
2. Click on “Options” from the drop-down menu.
3. The Word Options window will open. Select the “Advanced” tab.
4. Scroll down to the “Cut, copy, and paste” section.
5. From the “Paste” options, choose the desired setting from the drop-down menu to change the default behavior.
6. There are various options available, such as:

Choose the option that best suits your needs and click “OK” to save the changes. Now, whenever you paste content in Word, it will adopt the default paste option you have selected.

This feature provides added convenience to users and simplifies the process of pasting content with the desired formatting in Word.

Changing Paste Options in Word

In Word, users have the flexibility to change paste options, not only for regular content but also when copying from formatted sources like webpages or other Word documents. With these paste options, users can control how the content is inserted into their document, ensuring it matches their desired formatting preferences. Here’s how you can change the paste options in Word:

Pasting Content from a Formatted Source

1. Click or tap where you want to paste the content in the document.
2. Press Ctrl+V to paste the content.
3. After pasting, a Paste Options button will appear:

4. Click on the Paste Options button to access a list of available paste options.
5. The list of paste options includes:

Hovering over each option provides a live preview of how the content will appear in the document before making a selection. Simply click on the desired option to apply it.

By customizing the paste options, users have greater control over how content is inserted into their Word documents, allowing for seamless integration and consistent formatting.

Using the Quick Pick Trick in Excel

In Excel, the Quick Pick trick is a time-saving feature that allows users to easily select items from a drop-down list. This can be especially useful when entering repetitive data. To use the Quick Pick trick in Excel, follow these steps:

1. Type the first letter or two of the desired item in the cell.
2. Right-click on the cell and select Pick From Drop-down List from the pop-up menu.
3. A list will appear, showing all the items previously entered in the active column in alphabetical order.
4. Scroll through the list to find the item you want and click on it to automatically populate the cell. This trick saves time by eliminating the need to manually type out each item from a long list.

The Quick Pick trick in Excel is a valuable time-saving tip for efficiently selecting items from a drop-down list. By following these simple steps, users can streamline the process of entering repetitive data, improving their productivity and accuracy in Excel.

Providing Feedback and Ideas for Excel

Microsoft values the input of Excel users and actively encourages them to provide feedback and ideas for improving the program. If you have thoughts on the new Match Destination Formatting shortcut or any other suggestions to enhance Excel, your feedback is valuable.

To share your insights or submit ideas, you can visit the Excel forum in Microsoft Feedback or simply click on the Feedback button within Excel itself. These channels serve as platforms for users like you to contribute to the ongoing development and improvement of Excel based on your specific needs and suggestions.

Your feedback matters to Microsoft. By actively engaging with users, they can continue to enhance the Excel experience and make it an even more powerful tool for you and other users around the world.

Vaishvi Desai

Vaishvi Desai is the founder of Excelsamurai and a passionate Excel enthusiast with years of experience in data analysis and spreadsheet management. With a mission to help others harness the power of Excel, Vaishvi shares her expertise through concise, easy-to-follow tutorials on shortcuts, formulas, Pivot Tables, and VBA.