How to update (copy and paste) similar groupings of columns across one spreadsheet?

Copper Contributor

Hello All! 

 

I have this sheet that we are using to record data on a daily basis. Within the data entry tab of the worksheet is 52 formulaically identical groupings of columns for each week. While we do have the spreadsheet done now, we may end up needing to update these formulas in the future, thus needing to update each formula in the 52 column groupings. Is there an easy way to do this?

 

And I've tried to just copy or fill across the whole worksheet, but since some of my columns are merged cells, it doesn't work. 

 

See my screenshots to see what my spreadsheet actually looks like. 

 

I want to avoid having to totally retool this spreadsheet so that it is malleable in the future, so any input would be great. 

 

 

9 Replies
Wouldn't it be simpler to have just ONE set of columns and then to insert a column as the first one that contains the weeknumber (repeating on all rows for each week)? If you need to just look at week 1, you filter the table on that column.

@Jan Karel Pieterse Yes, that would be simpler. This is a sheet that I was given by my management that they have used for years, so I want to avoid changing it as much as possible. If I can't end up finding a solution, I'll probably do what you recommend. But I ideally won't change this spreadsheet in any way. 

Well, one thing which will make this easier is to stop using merged cells.

@Jan Karel Pieterse Yeah... the merged cells are a pain to work with... But again, I'd like to avoid changing the formatting of this sheet in any way. The guys that use this on a daily basis are already comfortable using this sheet and my copy and paste problem doesn't warrant changing their daily process. 

Hmm. I guess ther might be ways to ease your formula updating process, but for that I'd need more information, preferably a copy of the file. And I'd need to know whether or not the sequence of the weekly columns is identical for all 52 weeks. If so, we could probably write a macro that copies formulas from week 1 to 2...52

@Jan Karel Pieterse It is identical, other than the Week and Date numbers. I've attached the spreadsheet here. Thanks for your help! If you need any other piece of info, let me know. 

So basically you'd copy the column E:N and paste them onto O:X, Y:AH, AI:AR, etcetera?
But what to do with the values entered under the date columns?
Also, wouldn't it be easier to calculate the dates e.g. by adding placing this formula in F2: =E2+1 and then copying this formula to the right?

@Jan Karel Pieterse 

Yes, we are just copying that column and pasting in all subsequent columns. 

 

The numbers under the dates are the manually entered data that we are recording. Its number of tests and number of passed tests. 

 

And yes, that would be easier! I honestly hadn't thought of that. 

 

 

@Dillan Patel Please find attached your file with a macro to copy the first week 51 times. Just open the file, enable macros and then hit alt+F8 and click the macro "CopyColumns2Right" and click Run.

The statusbar shows progress in copying the weeks. Strangely enough it sometimes is very quick and other times seems to drag its feet doing the copying. No idea why this speed variation is there.