Rotate data by converting columns to rows (or vice versa)

Say you have a column of text:


That you want to change into a row, like so:

Dairy     Meat        Beverages Produce  



Move data between rows and columns

  1. Copy the data in one or more columns or rows.
  3. In the Paste Special dialog box, select Transpose, and then click OK.


The Paste Special dialog box



  • Columns and rows can not overlap. For example, if you select values in Column C, and try to paste them into a row that overlaps Column C, Excel displays an error message. When you go to paste a column or row, the destination area must be outside of the original values.
  • If you copy and paste data from more than one column, Excel places the data from the leftmost column on top. For example, say you copy data from columns A and B of a worksheet, and you paste the data into another worksheet starting at row 1. Excel places the data from column A in row 1, column B in row 2, and so on.
  • If you don't see the Paste Special command, make sure you right-click the first destination cell. You'll also find the command on the Edit menu. If you still don't see the command, make sure you're using Excel 2000 or later.
Applies to:
Excel 2003