Excel Tips
fundamentals
How to Copy and Paste in Google Sheets
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Copy and paste duplicates cells (or ranges) and places them elsewhere in the sheet. Use Ctrl + C / Ctrl + V (Windows) or ⌘ + C / ⌘ + V (Mac) for the full copy, or Paste special when you only want values, formats, formulas, or column widths.
When finance teams use copy and paste
You will paste a lot when cleaning a P&L export, duplicating a variance block, or applying the same number format across months. Prefer Paste values only after a formula so you do not carry broken references into a board pack. Formatting alone does not fix stale QuickBooks dumps. Once the layout is right, LiveFlow FP&A can keep the numbers updating in Sheets.
How to copy and paste (standard)
Keyboard shortcuts (recommended)
Select the cell or range to copy.
Press Ctrl + C (Windows) or ⌘ + C (Mac).
Select the destination cell (top-left of the paste range).
Press Ctrl + V (Windows) or ⌘ + V (Mac).
Right-click or Edit menu
Select the range to copy.
Right-click and choose Copy, or use Edit → Copy.
Select the destination cell.
Right-click and choose Paste, or use Edit → Paste.
How to use Paste special
Paste special pastes only part of what you copied (values, format, formula, and more). Open it from right-click → Paste special, or Edit → Paste special.
Paste special shortcuts
Copy with Ctrl + C / ⌘ + C.
Select the destination.
Paste values only with Ctrl + Shift + V (Windows) / ⌘ + Shift + V (Mac).
Paste format only with Ctrl + Alt + V (Windows) / ⌘ + Alt + V (Mac).
Common Paste special options
Values only: pastes results, not formulas.
Format only: pastes formatting without text or formulas.
Formula only: pastes formulas (results recalculate in the new place).
Column widths only: matches column widths from the source.
Paste transposed: flips rows and columns as you paste.
Other menu options cover conditional formatting, data validation, and all-except-borders depending on your Sheets build.
Tip: when you copy a LiveFlow-connected range into a static archive tab, use values only so you freeze a checkpoint without dragging live formulas into the wrong place.
Why finance teams use LiveFlow
Copy and paste moves cells. LiveFlow reduces how often you paste last month’s CSV into this month’s model. LiveFlow FP&A syncs QuickBooks Online (and other books) into Google Sheets so your formatted reports refresh without another export-and-reformat cycle.
CTA: Book a demo of LiveFlow FP&A for Google Sheets.
Supercharge your financial reporting