Excel Problem: Copying and pasting text boxes and Word Art in bulk

Factual Questions
1

I hope somebody with more Excel wizardry than I have has run into a problem like this before and figured out how to make it work.

Here’s what I need to do:

  1. I have eight line graphs that each correspond to the same 130-week time period
  2. Some events have occurred that have caused spikes or valleys in the graph.
  3. They are exactly the same events on all eight graphs.
  4. Here’s the kicker: I want to add text boxes that explain what each event is. I also want to include lines that cross key nodes that have happened at the same time every year. This way, management will have a better chance of understanding what’s happened when I’m not around to explain it to them.

All reasonable, right? And it also stands to reason that the best way to do this in a hurry is to copy and paste all of the text boxes and lines seven times. Attempting to do this, I’m not getting the results I expected.

The first time, everything did copy except the chart… but everything pasted in the wrong place, so I had to move it all. The next time, even after several trials, everything gets picked up, including the graph. And yes, I did hold down shift while clicking the graph. The graph still copies to the target.

Sorry this is a little long. I’m stumped, though, and sometimes explaining a problem helps me figure out what’s wrong. Not this time, though… so, anyone?

2

I am not sure I have a answer but I do want to make sure the problem is clear.

Are you saying that: You create a chart in Excel, and overlay other graphical elements (text box, lines) on top of the chart. Then you try to copy the graphical elements and paste them on top of another chart, but when you paste they do not maintain the same relative positions. In some cases, the chart itself was copied too.

Is that it?

Also what version of Excel are you using?

As far as lines referring to key nodes, I would build that right into the chart. You can create a series that has the same value for every X value and plot it as a line, and it gives you a horizontal line and the name shows up in the legend.

3

I tried this by selecting the objects while holding the CTRL key. When pasted, the objects were in the same relative position but I had to select them again (once again holding CTRL) then move them all together to the correct location.

4

Thanks, Cooking With Gas. Your summary of my problems were pretty much spot-on, except that in addition to the positioning problems, the entire graph sometimes also gets copied.

I’ll try holding down the Control key. Too bad they don’t remain selected when pasted, though.

5

Does Excel not allow object grouping, like Word does? Yes, it seems like it does. Try grouping everything before copying and pasting. That way, after pasting into the new document, selecting one object should select all of the ones in the group.

6

Does not compute.