How to transpose in excel

If you have a worksheet with data in columns that you need to rotate to rearrange it in rows, use the Transpose feature. With it, you can quickly switch data from columns to rows, or vice versa.

For example, if your data looks like this, with Sales Regions in the column headings and and Quarters along the left side:

The Transpose feature will rearrange the table such that the Quarters are showing in the column headings and the Sales Regions can be seen on the left, like this:

Note: If your data is in an Excel table, the Transpose feature won’t be available. You can convert the table to a range first, or you can use the TRANSPOSE function to rotate the rows and columns.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Select the range of data you want to rearrange, including any row or column labels, and press Ctrl+C.

   Note: Ensure that you copy the data to do this, since using the Cut command or Ctrl+X won’t work.

2. Choose a new location in the worksheet where you want to paste the transposed table, ensuring that there is plenty of room to paste your data. The new table that you paste there will entirely overwrite any data / formatting that’s already there.

   Right-click over the top-left cell of where you want to paste the transposed table, then choose Transpose .

   

3. After rotating the data successfully, you can delete the original table and the data in the new table will remain intact.

You can paste data as transposed data within your workbook. Transpose reorients the content of copied cells when pasting. Data in rows is pasted into columns and vice versa.

Here’s how you can transpose cell content:

1. Copy the cell range.

2. Select the empty cells where you want to paste the transposed data.

3. On the Home tab, click the Paste icon, and select Paste Transpose.

The concept of «transport» almost does not occur in the work of PC users, but those ones who work with arrays, whether matrices in higher mathematics or the tables in Excel, have to face with this phenomenon necessary.

Transposing a table in Excel is the replacement of columns by rows and vice versa. In other words, it is a turn in two planes: horizontal and vertical ones. There are three ways to transport tables.



The method 1: the special insert

It`s the simplest and universal way. Let’s consider at once on an example. We have the table with the price of a certain product per a piece and with certain amount of products. The table cap is located horizontally, and the data is arranged vertically, respectively. The cost is calculated by the formula: price * quantity. For the sake of the clarity, the table header is highlighted in green color.

We need to arrange the table`s data horizontally relative to the vertical arrangement of its header.

To transpose the table, we will use the SPECIAL INSERT command. We proceed in these steps:

1. We select the entire table and copy it (CTRL + C).
2. We put the cursor anywhere in the Excel worksheet and right-click the menu.
3. We click on the command Paste Special (CTRL+ALT+V).
4. In the window that appears we put the tick near the TRANSPOSE. The rest we left as is and click OK.

As a result we obtained the same table, but with different arrangement of the rows and the columns. Moreover, we note that cells with the same content are highlighted in green. The value formula was also copied and counted the product of price and quantity, but already with taking into account other cells. Now the table header is located vertically (what is clearly visible due to the green color of the header), and the data are respectively located horizontally.

Similarly, only values can be transposed, without the names of rows and the columns. To do this, you need to select only the array with the values and to do the same with the «Paste Special» command.



The method 2: the TRANSPOSE function in Excel

With the advent of the SPECIAL INSERT, the transposing of the table with using the TRANSPOSE command is almost not used because of the complexity and longer time for the operation. But the TRANSPOSE function is still present in Excel, so we will learn how to use it.

We operate on the stages again:

1. We select correctly to the range for transposing. In this example of the source table there are 4 columns and 6 rows. Accordingly, we must select the range of the cells in what there will be 6 columns and 4 rows. As it shown on the picture:



2. We fill immediately to the active cell so that you do not remove the selected area and enter the following formula: =TRANSPOSE.
3. To press CTRL + SHIFT + ENTER. Attention! The function TRANSPOSE() works only in an array. Therefore, after entering it, you must necessarily press the combination of the hotkeys CTRL + SHIFT + ENTER to execute the function in the array, and not just ENTER.

Note that the formula was not copied. When you click on the each cell, you will see that this table has been transposed. In addition, all the original formatting has been lost and you have to align and backlight it again. Also worth paying attention to the fact that the transposed table is tied to the original one. The modified values of the source table are automatically updated in the transposed one.

The method 3: the PivotTable

Those who work closely with Excel know that the PivotTable is multifunctional. And possibility of transpose – is one of its functions. Although it will be look a little bit different than in the previous examples.

1. We will create to the PivotTable. To do this, you need to select the original table and open the INSERT — PivotTable item.



2. The place where the summary table will be created, we select the new sheet.
3. In the resulting layout of the summary tables, we can select the necessary items and move them to the required fields. We will transfer «product» in the NAMES of COLUMNS, and «the price per piece» in VALUES.



4. We obtained the PivotTable for the required field, and the team automatically calculated the grand total.
5. You can remove the tick from the PRICE and tick off it next to the TOTAL PRICE. And then we get the PivotTable for the value of goods, as well as the grand total again.

Download example transpose data in Excel.

This is a rather peculiar method of partial transposition, which allows you to replace the columns in the rows (on the contrary — it does not work) and additionally learn to the total amount of the given field.

Watch Video – How to Transpose Data in Excel

If you have a dataset and you want to transpose it in Excel (which means converting rows into columns and columns into rows), doing it manually is a complete NO!

Transpose Data using Paste Special

Paste Special can do a lot of amazing things, and one such thing is to transpose data in Excel.

Suppose you have a dataset as shown below:

This data has the regions in a column and quarters in a row.

Now for some reason, if you need to transpose this data, here is how you can do this using paste special:

This would instantly copy and paste the data but in such a way that it has been transposed. Below is a demo showing the entire process.

The steps shown above copies the value, the formula (if any), as well as the format. If you only want to copy the value, select ‘value’ in the paste special dialog box.

Note that the copied data is static, and if you make any changes in the original data set, those changes would not be reflected in the transposed data.

If you want these transposed cells to be linked to the original cells, you can combine the power of Find & Replace with Paste Special.

Transpose Data using Paste Special and Find & Replace

Using Paste Special alone gives you static data. This means that if your original data changes and you want the transposed data to be updated as well, then you need to use Paste Special again to transpose it.

Here is a cool trick you can use to transpose the data and still have it linked with the original cells.

Suppose you have a dataset as shown below:

Here are the steps to transpose the data but keep the links intact:

• Select the data set (A1:E5).
• Copy it (Control + C, or right-click and select copy).
• Now you can paste the transposed data in a new location. In this example, I want to copy in G1:K5, so right-click on cell G1 and select paste special.
• In the Paste Special dialog box, click on the Paste Link button. This will give you the same data set, but here the cells are linked to the original data set (for example G1 is linked to A1, and G2 is linked to A2, and so on).
• With this new copied data selected, Press Control + H (or go to Home –> Editing –> Find & Select –> Replace). This will open the Find & Replace dialog box.
• In the Find & Replace dialog box, use the following:
  • In Find what: =
  • In Replace with: !@# (note that I am using !@# as it’s a unique combination of characters that is unlikely to be a part of your data. You can use any such unique set of characters).
• Click on Replace All. This will replace the equal to from the formula and you will have !@# followed by the cell reference in each cell.
• Right-click and copy the data set (or use Control + C).
• Select a new location, right-click and select paste special. In this example, I am pasting it in cell G7. You can paste it anywhere you want.
• In the Paste Special dialog box, select Transpose and click OK.
• Copy paste this newly created transposed data to the one from which it is created.
• Now open the Find and Replace dialog box again and replace !@# with =.

This will give you a linked data that has been transposed. If you make any changes in the original data set, the transposed data would automatically update.

Note: Since our original data has A1 as empty, you would need to manually delete the 0 in G1. The 0 appears when we paste links, as a link to an empty cell would still return a 0. Also, you’d need to format the new dataset (you can simply copy paste the format only from the original dataset).

Transpose Data using Excel TRANSPOSE Function

Excel TRANSPOSE function – as the name suggests – can be used to transpose data in Excel.

Suppose you have a dataset as shown below:

Here are the steps to transpose it:

• Select the cells where you want to transpose the dataset. Note that you need to select the exact number of cells as the original data. So for example, if you have 2 rows and 3 columns, you need to select 3 rows and 2 columns of cells where you want the transposed data. In this case, since there are 5 rows and 5 columns, you need to select 5 rows and 5 columns.
• Enter =TRANSPOSE(A1:E5) in the active cell (which should be the top left cell of the selection and press Control Shift Enter.

This would transpose the dataset.

Here are a few things you need to know about the TRANSPOSE function:

• It is an array function, so you need to use Control-Shift-Enter and not just Enter.
• You can not delete a part of the result. You need to delete the entire array of values that the TRANSPOSE function returns.
• Transpose function only copies the values, not the formatting.

Transpose Data Using Power Query

Power Query is a powerful tool that enables you to quickly transpose data in Excel.

Power Query is a part of Excel 2016 (Get & Transform in the Data tab) but if you’re using Excel 2013 or 2010, then you need to install it as an add-in.

Suppose you have the data set as shown below:

Here are the steps to transpose this data using Power Query:

In Excel 2016

Note that since the top left cell of our data set was empty, it gets a generic name Column1 (as shown below). You can delete this cell from the transposed data.

In Excel 2013/2010

In Excel 2013/10, you need to install Power Query as an add-in.

Click here to download the plugin and get installation instructions.

Once you have installed Power Query, go to Power Query –> Excel Data –> From Table.

This will open the create table dialog box. Now follow the same steps as shown for Excel 2016.

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• Clean Data in Excel Spreadsheets.
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• Excel Text to Columns
• Excel TRIM Function
• Merge Tables in Excel