How to copy a worksheet, WITHOUT linking it to the original workbook?

**cheesysocks** · 09-27-2008, 07:04 PM

A simple one for you, but again my Google skills seem lacking. This must be common practice but until one knows the key combination...

I have created a summary sheet with lots of formulas which analyse other sheets in a workbook. I want to copy this summary sheet to a seperate workbook to use as a template.

Of course, the copying process always links the new (template) sheet to the original workbook it was copied from. How does one copy without forging this link? All I want are the formulas copied across totally unchanged; I really *don't* want to manually edit 50 or so formulas!

Again, thank you.

**Richard Schollar** · 09-28-2008, 02:48 AM

Hi

Prior to copying, convert all the formulas on the sheet to text via a Find/Replace with Find of "=" (w/o quotes) and Replace of "###".

Then copy the sheet over to your new workbook. Once you have done that, reverse the Find/Replace on both your new sheet and your original ie Find ### and Replace =.

Richard

**jwalth02** · 09-28-2008, 02:54 AM

Whenever I've done it, I've always had both workbooks open, then clicked on the tab of the page you want to copy and selected move or copy, then it comes up with a screen that has a list of pages in the current book and a drop down tab that shows active books. Just choose the workbook you want to move it to choose the page you want it copied before and check the copy box and hit ok. Should work fine for you.

**cheesysocks** · 09-28-2008, 05:39 AM

Hi and thanks.

Richard, this looks a nice easy method. I'll give it a go in a minute.

Jwalth, I've done this, using both 'move' and 'copy'. The problem is that it links the two together when I don't want that link. Thanks anyway.

I'm really suprised that there isn't a key combination that stops links being forged at copy. I'm off to read up on excel keystrokes. Yawn....

**jwalth02** · 09-28-2008, 06:09 AM

Really... I've done it a lot on the sheets I use at work all the time and never had that problem. Maybe it does and I just don't realise.

**cheesysocks** · 09-28-2008, 07:38 AM

DOH, SAVE AS A TEMPLATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry to shout but really, why did it take so long for me to realise?

Also, during experimentation, I think that if one drags on the column or row names and copies the entire rows then it also does not link the pasted rows to the original workbook. But I'm using 2007 in compatability mode as they make me use 2003 at work so this may be inconsistant.

Jwalth, I just tried copying via the tab in 2007 without compatability and it doesn't link. Oh well, I don't intend to experiment as I have a working template now.

Thanks both very much.

**Dean England** · 09-28-2008, 07:40 AM

cheesysocks,

If I understand, I think this is what you want. Take a look at this thread. It may give you a solution.

http://www.excelforum.com/excel-misc...ed-sheets.html

Dean

**cheesysocks** · 09-28-2008, 10:00 AM

Dean, thanks.

This was exactly what I was looking for when I was going to copy columns with formulas into the data. But I have now designed by process into a better system. Each month a new book is created from a template and the data cut and paste into *it*.

But I'm learning!