Difference Between Paste and Paste Special

The main difference between paste and paste special is that the paste command allows the user to insert the selected data from the clipboard into an application while the paste special command follows the same functionality similar to paste, but provides additional options to select how the inserted data should appear on the application.

When using applications such as MS Word and MS Excel, the user has to perform various activities such as opening, saving, closing files, perform calculations and many more. Sometimes, it is required to modify the content of a document. Paste and Paste Special are two options that allow users to modify a document. Usually, the paste option is used with cut or copy. The cut or copy will place the content in the clipboard. When the user selects paste, the content will appear in the new location. Paste special is a special type of paste. It provides additional options to select how the inserted data should visible in the new location.

Key Areas Covered

1. What is Paste
     – Functionality and Methods
2. What is Paste Special
    – Functionality and Methods
3. Difference Between Paste and Paste Special
    – Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms

Copy, Cut, Paste, Paste Special

What is Paste

The paste option is frequently used with cut or copy options. The cut option removes the selected data from the original position. The copy option duplicates the selected content. In both these cases, that data is stored in the clipboard. When the user goes to the required location and select paste, it will insert that selected section of data to that new location.  Methods to use Paste in MS Word is as follows.

Method -1

1. Select the content.
2. Click the right mouse button.
3. Select cut or copy from the drop down
4. Go to the required location (same or different document).
5. Place the Cursor.
6. Click the right mouse button. It will display a drop down list with several options.
7. Choose paste option. The user can view the original content or a duplicate of the original content in the new location.
   

   Figure 1: Paste option in the drop down list

Method 2

1. Select the content.
2. Press Control (ctrl) and X keys together to Cut or Control (ctrl) and C keys together to Copy.
3. Go to the required location.
4. Place the cursor.
5. Press Control (ctrl) and V keys together on the keyboard. The user can view the original content or the duplicate of that original content in the new location.
   

   Figure 2: Paste Option in Home Tab of the ribbon

Method 3

1. Select the content.
2. Click the cut tool (scissor symbol) or copy tool on the Home Tab of the ribbon.
3. Go to the required location.
4. Place the cursor.
5. Click the paste option on the Home Tab of the ribbon.

These are a few methods to use Paste. The same methods are valid for MS Excel as well. The user can go to the required cell in the same sheet or some other sheet to paste the data.

What is Paste Special

Assume that the user copied and pasted some content from web to a Word document. It will appear as follows.

Figure 3: Section of text copied from the web

It will paste the copied content including its format from the original source.

Paste Special performs the same functionality as paste, but it provides some additional options. When the user copies some content from the web and selects paste special in the Home tab of the ribbon, it will open a dialog box.

Figure 4: Paste Special Dialog Box

If the user selects Unformatted Text or Unformatted Unicode Text, it will display the content in normal text format as below. The Unicode is a common and standard encoding type in writing systems.

Figure 5: Unformatted Text or Unformatted Unicode Text

If the user selects HTML format, the content will appear similar to the original content.

Figure 6: HTML format

Likewise, Paste Special Provide additional options to paste the content. These options define how the pasted content should appear.

Paste Special in Excel

In Excel, when the users select the data, press copy and go to a  new cell in the same sheet or different sheet, it will display a dialog box as follows.

Figure 7: Paste Special

If the user selects Formulas, the data will be pasted in the new location with the formulas as follows. In the new copy, the totals are calculated, and it has taken the new cells for calculation. The total 7000 in G9 is the summation of G4 to G7. The formula is visible in the formula bar.

Figure 8: Paste Special with Formulas

If the user selects values, it will only copy the values. The 7000 in G9 is the value. It is not a calculated summation using a formula.

Figure 9: Paste Special with values

Selecting the formats option will only give the format as follows.

Figure 10: Paste Special with formats

Likewise, the Paste Option allows selecting how the pasted content should display.

Difference Between Paste and Paste Special

Definition

Paste is a computer program action that allows copying an object or text from one location and placing it to another location. Paste Special is a computer program action that provides more control on how the content is displayed when pasted from the clipboard.

Keyboard Shortcuts

The user can press Control (ctrl) and V keys together for Paste. The user can press Control (ctrl), alter (alt) and V keys together for Paste Special.

Conclusion

Paste Special is a special type of paste option. The difference between paste and paste special is that the paste command allows the user to insert the selected data from the clipboard into an application while the paste special command follows the same functionality similar to paste, but provides additional options to select how the inserted data should appear on the application.

Reference:

1. Paste Special in MS Excel, Dinesh Kumar Takyar, 1 Feb. 2013, Available here.