External data is data that is stored outside of Excel. Excel easily works with data created in different applications if this data is saved in a format Excel can recognize, such as a comma-separated values (CSV) file. By importing the data into Excel, then saving the data in an Excel format, we can manipulate and format the data.

In our case today, we will simply open an existing Excel workbook and copy and paste the data into our existing workbook.

Opening Another Excel Workbook

The data we need is in another Excel workbook, so we have to open that file. This time, we will start the process by using a keyboard shortcut.

Step1. To begin to open the other workbook, press:

Control key+O

NOTE for MacOS Users: To begin to open the other workbook, press: Command key+o.

Step2. To browse for the file,

Click

NOTE for MacOS Users: To browse for the file, Click On My Mac, then navigate to the saved workshop files in the Excel_TheBasics folder.

You see the contents of the Excel_TheBasics folder.

Step3.To open the desired file,

Double-Click ResponseData.xlsx

The file opens and our remaining data is displayed.

NOTE: If you downloaded these exercise files from an Internet source, you may need to enable editing.

Step4. To begin to select all the date, type:

Control key+a

All the data is selected. Next, we need to copy all the data.

Step5. To copy all the data into the clipboard, type:

Control key+c

We are done with this file and can now close it.

Step6. To close this file, type:

Control key+w

As we close this file, we are asked if we would like to preserve the data in the clipboard to paste later. This is exactly what we would like to do:

Step7. To preserve the clipboard contents, if necessary,

Click

We are returned to the SurveyResponses.xlsx workbook.

Step8. To navigate to the active cell,

Click cell A4

Step9. To paste the data into the existing worksheet, type:

Control key+v

The remaining data is now in the worksheet.

Octothorpes (####), also called number signs, pound symbols, or hashtags, may be displayed. This means that the columns are not wide enough to display the cell contents.

Step10. Deselect the cells.

Step11. Widen columns if necessary.

Step12. Save the workbook.

Excel has a tool to easily navigate and manage data sets like this one: a data table. We will turn our data set into a table.