Excel Columns to Rows (Table of Contents)
Columns to Rows in Excel
In Excel, to convert any Columns to Rows, first select the column which we want to switch and copy the selected cells or columns. To proceed further, go to the cell where we want to paste the data, then from the Paste option, which is under the Home menu tab, select the Transpose option. This will convert the selected Columns into Rows. We can also use the short cut keys Alt + H + V + T, which will directly take us to the TRANSPOSE function.
Paste Special Option.
The shortcut key for paste special:
Once you copied the range of cells that need to be transposed, click on Alt + E + S in a cell where you want to paste special a dialog box popup window with the transpose option.
How to Convert Columns to Rows in Excel using Transpose?
To convert data from column to row in excel is very simple and easy. Let’s understand the working of converting columns to rows by using some examples.
Example #1
In the below mentioned Pharma sales table, it contains the medicine product code in column C (C10 to C16), quantity sold in column D (D10 to D16) & Total sales value in column E (E10 to E16).
Here I need to convert its orientation from columns to rows with the help of paste special option in excel.
- Select the whole table range, i.e. all the cells with the dataset in a spreadsheet.
- Copy the selected cells by pressing Ctrl + C.
- Select the cell where you want to paste this data set, i.e. G10.
- When you enable right click on the mouse, the paste option appears, in that you have to select 4th option, i.e. Transpose (Below mentioned screenshot)
- On selecting the transpose option, your dataset gets copied in that cell range starting from the cell G10 to M112.
- Apart from the above procedure, you can also use a shortcut key to convert columns to rows in excel.
- Copy the selected cells by pressing Ctrl + C.
- Select the cell where you need to copy this data set, i.e. G10.
- Click on Alt + E + S, paste special dialog box popup window appears, in that select or click on the box of Transpose option, it will result or convert column data to rows data in excel.
Data that is copied is called as source data, and when this source data is copied to other ranges, i.e. pasted data, which is referred to as transposed data.
Note: In the other direction where you are going the copy raw or source data, you have to make sure to select the same number of cells as the original set of cells so that there is no overlapping with the original dataset. In the above-mentioned example, there are 7-row cells here that are arranged vertically, so when I copy this dataset to the horizontal direction, it should contain 7 column cells towards other direction so that the overlapping does not occur with the original dataset.
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Example #2
Sometimes, when you have a huge number of columns, column data at the end will be not visible, and it will not fit to screen. In this scenario, you can change its orientation from the current horizontal range to vertical range with the help of paste special option in excel.
- The Table contains months and their serial number (From column C to W).
- Select the whole table range, i.e. all the cells with the dataset in a spreadsheet.
- Copy the selected cells by pressing Ctrl + C.
- Select the cell where you need to copy this data set, i.e. C24.
- When you enable right click on the mouse, the paste options appear, in that you have to select 4th option, i.e. Transpose (Below mentioned screenshot)
- On selecting the transpose option, your dataset gets copied in that cell range starting from cell C24.
In the transposed data, all the data values are visible and clear as compared to source data.
Disadvantages of using Paste special option:
- Sometimes copy-paste option creates duplicates.
- If you have used the Paste special option in excel to convert columns to rows, the transposed cells (or arrays) are not linked to each other with source data, and it will not get updated when trying to change data values in source data.
Example #3
Transpose function: It converts columns to rows and rows to columns in excel.
The syntax or formula for the Transpose function is:
- Array: It is a range of cells that you need to convert or change its orientation.
In the below example, the Pharma sales table contains medicine product code in column P (P7 to P12), sales data in column Q (Q7 to Q12).
Check out the number of rows & columns in the source data which you want to transpose.
i.e. Initially, count the number of rows and columns in your original source data (7 rows & 2 columns) which is vertically positioned, and now select the same number of blank cells, but in the other direction (Horizontal), i.e. (2 rows & 7 columns)
- Prior to entering the formula, select the empty cells, i.e. from P15 to V16.
- With the empty cells selected, Type transpose formula in the cell P15. i.e. = TRANSPOSE (P6:Q12).
- Since the formula needs to be applied for the whole range, press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to make it an array formula.
Now you can check the dataset; here, columns are converted to rows with datasets.
Advantages of the TRANSPOSE function:
- The main benefit or advantage of using the TRANSPOSE function is that transposed data or the rotated table retains the connection with the source table data, and whenever you change the source data, the transposed data also changes accordingly.
Things to Remember about Convert Columns to Rows in Excel
- Paste special option can also be used for other tasks, i.e. Add, Subtract, Multiply, and Divide between datasets.
- #VALUE error occurs while selecting the cells, i.e. If the number of columns and rows selected in transposed data are not equal to the rows and columns of the source data.
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