Cutting, Copying, and Pasting in Gantt
In the Gantt task grid, you can use keyboard shortcuts to cut, copy and paste the contents of one or more cells, rows or columns within Gantt, or between Gantt and third-party applications.
Selecting Items
- When selecting rows, click the WBS number. When selecting columns, click the column header.
- To select multiple adjacent items, press and hold Shift while selecting, or drag the mouse across the items.
- To select multiple separated items, press and hold Ctrl (PC) or Cmd (Mac) while selecting.
- When pasting multiple cells, you only need to select the first cell. The number and shape of the pasted cells match the copied cells.
Within the task grid, you can:
- Paste into cells that are the same format as the copied data. For example, a date cell with a format of 01/01/20 cannot be copied into a date cell with a format of 1/1/20.
An exception is that you can paste any data into a text cell.
- Copy from read-only cells, such as Assigned Resources.
- Paste multiple cut or copied rows to the bottom of the grid. The last row is replaced and extra rows are added.
- Cut, copy, and paste columns, including custom columns within the task grid. The restrictions on field types are the same as for individual fields.
Column headers are not copied.
- Paste into checkboxes or read-only cells, but only if they were copied as part of a multiple selection.
Limitations
Within the task grid, you cannot:
- Paste dates or durations into cells of a different date format or duration unit.
- Maintain hierarchies. Pasting a hierarchical selection flattens the hierarchy to the level of the highest task.
- Paste into lookups, picklists, read-only fields, or assigned resources. However, you can replicate the contents of lookups and picklists. See the section Replicating Cells.
- Paste if you have clicked a toolbar button, such as Indent or Outdent after cutting or copying. You must reselect the task grid to paste.
Actions between Gantt and Third-party Applications
You can cut, copy, and paste cell contents between Gantt and third-party applications, such as Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, SmartSheets, and Microsoft Project.
Useful Information
- To select the complete contents of the task grid, use Ctrl+A or click the blank WBS column header.
- Checkboxes in the task grid are converted to text as "True" and "False" when pasted into third-party applications. When pasting from a third-party application into the task grid, this text is converted to selected and deselected checkboxes.
- Data that is cut or copied from other applications that use a different date format from Gantt cannot be pasted into the task grid.
- If you have added tasks to a plan in another application, the tasks are added as new rows when pasted into the task grid.
Replicating Cells
A handle in the bottom-right corner of one or more selected cells enables you to replicate their contents to adjacent cells above or below them. Replication does not work when dragging horizontally.
You can use the replication handle to replicate lookup and picklist cells.
Creating Sequences
For date or numerical cells, you can create a sequence by selecting two vertical cells with sequential values, and then dragging the handle to one or more cells.
For example, select two date cells that contain consecutive dates and drag the handle to the cell below. The cell contains the next date in the sequence.