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How To Copy Formulas Only In Google Sheets (without values or formatting) in few steps?

I've found a way to copy formulas only in Google Sheets through Search and Replace Ctrl + H feature workaround as follows:

STEP 1:

Cells with Formulas to be copied Cells with Formulas to be copied

STEP 2:

Press Ctrl + H and Tick Also search within formulas Press Ctrl + H and Tick Also search within formulas

STEP 3:

Copy Formulas (formulas only are copied) Copy Formulas (formulas only are copied)

STEP 4:

Select a destination cell/range and paste the clipboard content Select a destination cell/range and paste the clipboard content

STEP 5:

Result: Formulas only are pasted Result: Formulas only are pasted

Please share any way you know to do it with less steps. Thanks a lot for your help much appreciated.

Solution

  • Honestly, I don't understand your need to use ctrl+h to do this. You could've just used ctrl+c and ctrl+v, since you are copying the cell content, which is the formula. I know it will also copy the cell's formatting, but if it's a previously blank cell, there should be no problem.

    A fast way to do it is copying the range of cells you want to copy the formulas from, and the right click - special paste - past only the formula.

    Special Paste

    ~Sorry for the portuguese menu. The option should be in the same spot, though.~

    The only workaround you could need is copying the actual values given by the formula on these cells, and for that Sheets also has a keyboard shortcut: ctrl+shift+v, which is a special paste case, which pastes only the results, not the formula.

    So unless you're lacking one or more of those keys, you should be fine. If you do, a mere select range - right click - copy - paste would do the trick. No need for extra long steps.

    Now, if what you're trying to accomplish is copying the formula and paste it as a string, you can use the =FORMULATEXT([CELL]).

    FormulaText()