Data in target cells is lost when you use the "Paste Special" command in Excel

When you use the Paste Special command in Microsoft Excel to copy column widths or validation criteria, the data in the target cells may be lost.

This problem occurs if the following conditions are true:

• You select and copy cells that are not a continuous range.
• You use the Paste Special command with either the Validation or Column Widths option.

To work around this problem, select a continuous range of cells rather than selecting discontinuous cells as a group, or select the cells individually and then copy them and use the Paste Special options.

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

This problem occurs only when you use the two Paste Special options Validation and Column widths, and only when you select a group of cells that form a discontinuous group by pressing CTRL while you select them. It does not occur with other Paste Special options, nor when you select a continuous range of cells.