How to rows to columns in excel

How to Convert Rows to Columns in Excel?

There are two different methods for converting rows to columns in Excel, which are as follows:

1. Method #1 – Transposing Rows to Columns Using Paste Special.
2. Method #2 – Transposing Rows to Columns Using TRANSPOSE Formula.

#1 Using Paste Special

It is an efficient method; it is easy to implement and saves time. Also, this method would be ideal if you want your original formatting to be copied.

You can download this Convert Rows to Columns Excel Template here – Convert Rows to Columns Excel Template

Example

For example, if you have below data of key industry players from various regions, it also shows their job roles as shown in figure1.

Name	Jennifer	Racheal	Milos	Costas	Daniel	Kevin
Country	Spain	England	France	Brazil	Ireland	Germany
Job Role	CTO	CEO	Analyst	Analyst	Media	Director
Domain	Electronics	Chemical	Mechanical	Aerospace	Marketing	Finance

In example 1, the players’ names are written in column form. Still, the list becomes too long, and the data entered also seems unorganized. Hence, we would change the rows to columns using paste special methodsPaste special in Excel allows you to paste partial aspects of the data copied. There are several ways to paste special in Excel, including right-clicking on the target cell and selecting paste special, or using a shortcut such as CTRL+ALT+V or ALT+E+S.read more.

The steps to convert rows to columns in Excel using the Paste Special method are as follows:

#2 Using TRANSPOSE Formula

When a user wants to keep the same connections of the rotating table with the original table, it can use a transposing method using a formula. This method is also quicker in converting rows to columns in Excel. But, it does not keep the source formatting and links it to a transposed table.

Example

Consider the example below, as shown in figure 6, where it shows the company’s names, location, and the number of employees.

The steps to transpose rows to columns in excel using formula are as follows:

• First, count the number of rows and columns in your original excel table. And then, select the same number of blank cells but ensure you have to transpose the rows to columns to choose the blank cells in the opposite direction. Like in example 2, the number of rows is 3, and the number of columns is 6. So, you will select 6 blank rows and 3 blank columns.

• In the first empty cell, enter the TRANSPOSE formula in excelThe TRANSPOSE function in excel helps rotate (switch) the values from rows to columns and vice versa. Being a part of the Excel lookup and reference functions, its purpose is to organize the data in the desired format. To execute the formula, the exact size of the range to be transposed is selected and the CSE key (“Control+Shift+Enter”) is pressed.
  read more ‘=TRANSPOSE($A$1:$F$3)’.

• Since this formula needs to be applied for other blank cells so press ‘Ctrl+Shift+Enter.’

The rows are converted to columns.

Advantages

1. The Paste Special method is useful when the user needs the original formatting to be continued.
2. In the transpose method, by using the TRANSPOSE function, the converted table will change its data automatically, which means that whenever the user changes the data in the original table, it will automatically change the data in the transposed table, as it is linked to it.
3. Converting the rows to columns in Excel sometimes helps the user to make the audience understand their data easily and so that the audience interprets it without much effort.

Disadvantages

1. If the number of rows and columns increases, then the transpose method using the Paste Special options cannot perform efficiently. In this case, the “TRANSPOSE” function will be disabled when there are many rows to be converted to columns.
2.  The “Transpose Paste Special” option does not link the original data to the transposed data. Therefore, if you need to change the data, you must repeat all the steps.
3. In the transpose method, the source formatting is not kept the same for the transposed data by using the formula.
4. After converting the rows to columns in Excel using a formula, the user cannot edit the data in the transposed table as it is linked to the source data.

Things to Remember

1. We can transpose rows to columns using Paste Special methods. We can link the data to the original data by selecting “Paste Link” from the “Paste Special” dialog box.
2. We can also use Excel’s INDIRECT formula and ADDRESS functions in ExcelThe address function finds the cell’s address and returns an absolute value. It requires two mandatory arguments: the row number and the column number. For example, if we use =Address(1,2), the result will be $B$1.read more to convert rows to columns and vice-versa.

Recommended Articles

This article is a guide to Convert Rows to Columns in Excel. Here, we discuss switching rows to columns in Excel using the Paste Special and TRANSPOSE formula, practical examples, and a downloadable Excel template. You may learn more about Excel from the following articles: –

• Group Columns in ExcelIn Excel, grouping one or more columns together in a worksheet is referred to as group column and I t allows you to contract or expand the column.read more
• Compare Two Columns in ExcelTwo columns in excel are compared when their entries are studied for similarities and differences.read more
• Use Columns Formula in Excel
• Column Sort in Excel

Do you have some values arranged as rows in your workbook, and do you want to convert text in rows to columns in Excel like this?

In Excel, you can do this manually or automatically in multiple ways depending on your purpose. Read on to get all the details and choose the best solution for yourself. 

How to convert rows into columns or columns to rows in Excel – the basic solution

The easiest way to convert rows to columns in Excel is via the Paste Transpose option. Here is how it looks:

• Select and copy the needed range
• Right-click on a cell where you want to convert rows to columns
• Select the Paste Transpose option to rotate rows to columns

As an alternative, you can use the Paste Special option and mark Transpose using its menu. 

It works the same if you need to convert columns to rows in Excel.

This is the best way for a one-time conversion of small to medium numbers of rows both in the Excel desktop and online. 

Can I convert multiple rows to columns in Excel from another workbook?

The method above will work well if you want to convert rows to columns in Excel between different workbooks using Excel desktop. You need to have both spreadsheets open and do the copying and pasting as described. 

However, in Excel Online, this won’t work for different workbooks. The Paste Transpose option is not available. 

Therefore, in this case, it’s better to use the TRANSPOSE function.

How to switch rows and columns in Excel in more efficient ways

To switch rows and columns in Excel automatically or dynamically, you can use one of these options:

• Excel TRANSPOSE function
• VBA macro
• Power Query 

Let’s check out each of them in the example of a data range that we imported to Excel from a Google Sheets file using Coupler.io. 

Coupler.io is an integration solution that synchronizes data between source and destination apps on a regular schedule. For example, you can set up an automatic data export from Google Sheets every day to your Excel workbook. 

Check out all the available Excel integrations.

How to change row to column in Excel with TRANSPOSE

TRANSPOSE is the Excel function that allows you to switch rows and columns in Excel. Here is its syntax:

=TRANSPOSE(array)

• array – an array of columns or rows to transpose

One of the main benefits of TRANSPOSE is that it links the converted columns/rows with the source rows/columns. So, if the values in the rows change, the same changes will be made in the converted columns. 

TRANSPOSE formula to convert multiple rows to columns in Excel desktop

TRANSPOSE is an array formula, which means that you’ll need to select a number of cells in the columns that correspond to the number of cells in the rows to be converted and press Ctrl+Shift+Enter.

=TRANSPOSE(A1:J2)

Fortunately, you don’t have to go through this procedure in Excel Online.

TRANSPOSE formula to rotate row to column in Excel Online

You can simply insert your TRANSPOSE formula in a cell and hit enter. The rows will be rotated to columns right away without any additional button combinations.

Excel TRANSPOSE multiple rows in a group to columns between different workbooks

We promised to demonstrate how you can use TRANSPOSE to rotate rows to columns between different workbooks. In Excel Online, you need to do the following:

• Copy a range of columns to rotate from one spreadsheet and paste it as a link to another spreadsheet.

• We need this URL path to use in the TRANSPOSE formula, so copy it.

• The URL path above is for a cell, not for an array. So, you’ll need to slightly update it to an array to use in your TRANSPOSE formula. Here is what it should look like:

=TRANSPOSE('https://d.docs.live.net/ec25d9990d879c55/Docs/Convert rows to columns/[dataset.xlsx]dataset'!A1:D12)

You can follow the same logic for rotating rows to columns between workbooks in Excel desktop.

Are there other formulas to convert columns to rows in Excel?

TRANSPOSE is not the only function you can use to change rows to columns in Excel. A combination of INDIRECT and ADDRESS functions can be considered as an alternative, but the flow to convert rows to columns in Excel using this formula is much trickier. Let’s check it out in the following example.

How to convert text in columns to rows in Excel using INDIRECT+ADDRESS

If you have a set of columns with the first cell A1, the following formula will allow you to convert columns to rows in Excel.

=INDIRECT(ADDRESS(COLUMN(A1),ROW(A1)))

But where are the rows, you may ask! Well, first you need to drag this formula down if you are converting multiple columns to rows. Then drag it to the right.

NOTE: This Excel formula only to convert data in columns to rows starting with A1 cell. If your columns start from another cell, check out the next section.

How to convert Excel data in columns to rows using INDIRECT+ADDRESS from other cells

To convert columns to rows in Excel with INDIRECT+ADDRESS formulas from not A1 cell only, use the following formula:

=INDIRECT(ADDRESS(COLUMN(first_cell) - COLUMN($first_cell) + ROW($first_cell), ROW(first_cell) - ROW($first_cell) + COLUMN($first_cell)))

• first_cell – enter the first cell of your columns

Here is an example of how to convert Excel data in columns to rows:

=INDIRECT(ADDRESS(COLUMN(C5) - COLUMN($C$5) + ROW($C$5), ROW(C5) - ROW($C$5) + COLUMN($C$5)))

Again, you’ll need to drag the formula down and to the right to populate the rest of the cells.

How to automatically convert rows to columns in Excel VBA

VBA is a superb option if you want to customize some function or functionality. However, this option is only code-based. Below we provide a script that allows you to change rows to columns in Excel automatically.

• Go to the Visual Basic Editor (VBE). Click Alt+F11 or you can go to the Developer tab => Visual Basic. 

• In VBE, go to Insert => Module.

• Copy and paste the script into the window. You’ll find the script in the next section.

• Now you can close the VBE. Go to Developer => Macros and you’ll see your RowsToColumns macro. Click Run.

• You’ll be asked to select the array to rotate and the cell to insert the rotated columns.

• There you go!

VBA macro script to convert multiple rows to columns in Excel

Sub TransposeColumnsRows()
    Dim SourceRange As Range
    Dim DestRange As Range
 
    Set SourceRange = Application.InputBox(Prompt:="Please select the range to transpose", Title:="Transpose Rows to Columns", Type:=8)
    Set DestRange = Application.InputBox(Prompt:="Select the upper left cell of the destination range", Title:="Transpose Rows to Columns", Type:=8)
 
    SourceRange.Copy
    DestRange.Select
    Selection.PasteSpecial Paste:=xlPasteAll, Operation:=xlNone, SkipBlanks:=False, Transpose:=True
    Application.CutCopyMode = False
 
End Sub

Sub RowsToColumns()
    Dim SourceRange As Range
    Dim DestRange As Range
 
    Set SourceRange = Application.InputBox(Prompt:="Select the array to rotate", Title:="Convert Rows to Columns", Type:=8)
    Set DestRange = Application.InputBox(Prompt:="Select the cell to insert the rotated columns", Title:="Convert Rows to Columns", Type:=8)
 
    SourceRange.Copy
    DestRange.Select
    Selection.PasteSpecial Paste:=xlPasteAll, Operation:=xlNone, SkipBlanks:=False, Transpose:=True
    Application.CutCopyMode = False
 
End Sub

Read more in our Excel Macros Tutorial.

Convert rows to column in Excel using Power Query

Power Query is another powerful tool available for Excel users. We wrote a separate Power Query Tutorial, so feel free to check it out. 

Meanwhile, you can use Power Query to transpose rows to columns. To do this, go to the Data tab, and create a query from table. 

• Then select a range of cells to convert rows to columns in Excel. Click OK to open the Power Query Editor. 

• In the Power Query Editor, go to the Transform tab and click Transpose. The rows will be rotated to columns. 

• If you want to keep the headers for your columns, click the Use First Row as Headers button.

• That’s it. You can Close & Load your dataset – the rows will be converted to columns.

Error message when trying to convert rows to columns in Excel

To wrap up with converting Excel data in columns to rows, let’s review the typical error messages you can face during the flow.

Overlap error

The overlap error occurs when you’re trying to paste the transposed range into the area of the copied range. Please avoid doing this.

Wrong data type error

You may see this #VALUE! error when you implement the TRANSPOSE formula in Excel desktop without pressing Ctrl+Shift+Enter. 

Other errors may be caused by typos or other misprints in the formulas you use to convert groups of data from rows to columns in Excel. Always double-check the syntax before pressing Enter or Ctrl+Shift+Enter 🙂 . Good luck with your data!

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