How to Swap Two Columns in Excel

As an expert in Microsoft Excel, it is important to be proficient in various techniques that can simplify tasks and manipulate data quickly. One common task that often requires rearranging columns of data is swapping the positions of two columns. In this blog post, we will provide a step-by-step guide on how to swap two columns in Excel using simple techniques. This guide is ideal for anyone looking to streamline their data management process or seeking to improve their Excel skills.

Select the columns that you want to swap

The first step in swapping two columns in Excel is selecting the columns that you want to swap. To do this, click on the first column letter and drag across to the second column letter while holding down the left mouse button. Both columns should now be highlighted, indicating that they are selected.

Copy the selected columns

Next, it is time to copy the selected columns. Click on the ‘Copy’ button, or use the shortcut ‘Ctrl+C’ to copy the columns to the clipboard. Once selected columns are copied, their content will be highlighted with a moving border around the edge.

Insert copied columns in the desired location

To swap two columns in Excel, you need to insert the copied columns in the desired location. Click on the first column letter of where you want to insert the selected columns and right-click it. From the context menu, select ‘Insert copied cells’ or ‘Insert Copied Cells>List Entries’ if the columns have a drop-down menu format. The columns that were selected earlier will now be inserted in the desired location.

Delete the old columns

The final step is deleting the old columns that have been replaced by the columns that you swapped with. Select the old columns by clicking on the first column letter, right-clicking and selecting ‘Delete’. A dialog box will appear, and you should select ‘Entire column’ from the ‘Delete’ options and click ‘OK’. The old columns will be removed from the worksheet, leaving only the new swapped columns.

In Conclusion

Swapping columns in Excel is a simple process that can be executed in just a few steps. By following the steps outlined in this blog post, you can easily swap two columns in your Excel worksheet. Practice swapping columns for practice and to gain mastery of the technique.

How to swap multiple columns at once

If you have more than two columns that you want to swap, no need to go through the process for each pair separately. Excel allows you to swap multiple columns at once. To do this, select the first column in the swap and hold the Ctrl key while selecting the others. Once you have selected all the columns you want to swap, right-click on any of them and choose the ‘Cut’ option from the context menu. Then, right-click where you want to move the columns to and select the ‘Insert cut cells’ option. This will move all selected columns to the desired location.

How to undo a swap

If you swap columns in Excel by mistake, all is not lost. Excel has an ‘Undo’ feature that allows you to reverse changes you have made. You can undo a swap by clicking on the ‘Undo’ button or pressing Ctrl+Z. This will return the columns to their previous positions. Note that this feature only works if you have not closed the document or disabled the ‘Undo’ feature.

Why swapping columns in Excel is important

Swapping columns in Excel sometimes can help in organizing data. It enables you to compare values on different columns alongside each other easily. Additionally, it also allows you to change the order of your data, which can help in doing further analysis on your data. Knowing the simple steps of swapping columns in Excel can streamline your workflow and make it easy to manipulate data in a more efficient way.

In Conclusion

Swapping columns in Microsoft Excel is a basic function that can take a few simple steps to perform. By following the above steps, you can quickly alter the position of your columns in your workbook effectively. Additionally, the knowledge of how to swap columns in Excel can save you some time and help you sort your data the way you need it. Practice these instructions to build mastery of Excel swapping columns effortlessly.

FAQs

Here are some FAQs that people commonly ask about swapping two columns in Microsoft Excel:

Can I swap two or more columns that are apart from each other?

Yes, you can swap non-adjacent columns using the same steps you would use for swapping adjacent columns. Instead of clicking and dragging over two adjacent columns, hold the Ctrl key and click on separate columns. After selecting all the columns you want to swap, you can follow the same procedure to move them to their new position.

Is it possible to swap rows in Excel?

Yes, It is possible to swap rows in Excel. The steps for swapping rows are similar to swapping columns. But this time, we need to click on the row number instead of the column letter while carrying out the operation.

Can I swap columns in a pivot table?

Yes, the same process can be used to swap columns in a pivot table as in a regular Excel worksheet. Select and copy the columns, then insert them into the desired location before deleting the old columns.

What happens to the formulas and cell references when I swap columns?

When you swap two columns in Excel, any formula or cell references that depend on those columns will also move with them. For example, if you swap columns A and B, any formula that referenced cells in column A will now reference the corresponding cells in column B, and vice versa.

Is it possible to swap columns in Excel Online?

Yes, Excel Online has the same functionality as the desktop version of Excel and includes the ability to swap columns just as easily. While the interface might be slightly different, the steps are the same as outlined in this blog post.