Copying formula to the next row when inserting a new row

Question

I have a row in which there are formulas using values of the same row. The next row is empty, just with a different background color.

Now, if I insert a new row (by right-clicking on the empty row and "insert"), I get a new row with NO background color (which is what I want), but the line also does NOT contain any formulas: how do I get Excel to be smarter and copying the formulas from the previous row, when creating the new row?

One more piece of information: data validation information (i.e. a drop down list) is copied when inserting the new row.

Thanks.

Answer 1

Make the area with your data and formulas a Table:

Then adding new information in the next line will copy all formulas in that table for the new line. Data validation will also be applied for the new row as it was for the whole column. This is indeed Excel being smarter with your data.

NO VBA required...

Answer 2

You need to insert the new row and then copy from the source row to the newly inserted row. Excel allows you to paste special just formulas. So in Excel:

• Insert the new row
• Copy the source row
• Select the newly created target row, right click and paste special
• Paste as formulas

VBA if required with Rows("1:1") being source and Rows("2:2") being target:

Rows("2:2").Insert Shift:=xlDown, CopyOrigin:=xlFormatFromLeftOrAbove
Rows("2:2").Clear

Rows("1:1").Copy
Rows("2:2").PasteSpecial Paste:=xlPasteFormulas, Operation:=xlNone

Answer 3

One other key thing that I found regarding copying rows within a table, is that the worksheet you are working on needs to be activated. If you have a workbook with multiple sheets, you need to save the sheet you called the macro from, and then activate the sheet with the table. Once you are done, you can re-activate the original sheet.

You can use Application.ScreenUpdating = False to make sure the user doesn't see that you are switching worksheets within your macro.

If you don't have the worksheet activated, the copy doesn't seem to work properly, i.e. some stuff seem to work, and other stuff doesn't ??

Answer 4

Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)

'data starts on row 3 which has the formulas
'the sheet is protected - input cells not locked - formula cells locked
'this routine is triggered on change of any cell on the worksheet so first check if
' it's a cell that we're interested in - and the row doesn't already have formulas
If Target.Column = 3 And Target.Row > 3 _
And Range("M" & Target.Row).Formula = "" Then

    On Error GoTo ERROR_OCCURRED

    'unprotect the sheet - otherwise can't copy and paste
    ActiveSheet.Unprotect
    'disable events - this prevents this routine from triggering again when
    'copy and paste below changes the cell values
    Application.EnableEvents = False

    'copy col D (with validation list) from row above to new row (not locked)
    Range("D" & Target.Row - 1).Copy
    Range("D" & Target.Row).PasteSpecial

    'copy col M to P (with formulas) from row above to new row
    Range("M" & Target.Row - 1 & ":P" & Target.Row - 1).Copy
    Range("M" & Target.Row).PasteSpecial

'make sure if an error occurs (or not) events are re-enabled and sheet re-protected

ERROR_OCCURRED:

    If Err.Number <> 0 Then
        MsgBox "An error occurred. Formulas may not have been copied." & vbCrLf & vbCrLf & _
            Err.Number & " - " & Err.Description
    End If

    're-enable events
    Application.EnableEvents = True
    're-protect the sheet
    ActiveSheet.Protect

    'put focus back on the next cell after routine was triggered
    Range("D" & Target.Row).Select

End If

End Sub

Answer 5

If you have a worksheet with many rows that all contain the formula, by far the easiest method is to copy a row that is without data (but it does contain formulas), and then "insert copied cells" below/above the row where you want to add. The formulas remain. In a pinch, it is OK to use a row with data. Just clear it or overwrite it after pasting.