Gnumeric · Paste special · Beginner
Paste Values, Transpose and Scale a Range in Gnumeric
Use Gnumeric Paste Special to freeze formula results, transpose a checked block and multiply selected totals without altering the source.
Documentation and source-backed procedure; independent fixture checks; native verification pending · Editorial standards
Treat each Paste Special operation as a separate transformation with its own destination and checks. A values snapshot, a transposed layout and a scaled range solve different problems.
Build a two-row source model
Use a blank Sheet1. Enter the following in A1:C3:
| Quantity | Unit price | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 4.50 | =A2*B2 |
| 3 | 1.25 | =A3*B3 |
C2 should be 9 and C3 3.75. Put =SUM(C2:C3) in C5; expect 12.75. Leave E2:G3 and A7:B9 empty. They will be separate outputs, not overlapping replacements for the source.
The Edit menu documentation explains values-only, arithmetic and transpose operations. Exact labels below are additionally checked in the Gnumeric 1.12.62 Paste Special dialog definition; this is source review, not a native run.
Make a values-only snapshot
- Select A2:C3 and choose Edit → Copy.
- Select E2 as the upper-left destination. Open Edit → Paste Special.
- Under Paste type, choose As Value. Set Cell operation to None and Region operation to None. Leave unrelated options, including Skip Blanks, off for this fully populated fixture.
- Confirm. Inspect E2:G3: expect rows 2, 4.5, 9 and 3, 1.25, 3.75.
Inspect G2 and G3 in the editing area. They should contain numbers 9 and 3.75, not the source formulas. The Content option is different: it can still copy expressions. For this task, As Value is essential.
Change source A2 from 2 to 4. C2 becomes 18, and C5 21.75. G2 must stay 9. Restore A2 to 2; the source total returns to 12.75. This deliberately tests that the snapshot is disconnected from later source changes.
Transpose the snapshot
Copy E2:G3. Select A7 and reopen Paste Special. Choose As Value, Cell operation: None, and Region operation: Transpose. Confirm.
A source with two rows and three columns becomes three rows and two columns:
| Destination row | Column A | Column B |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | 2 | 3 |
| 8 | 4.5 | 1.25 |
| 9 | 9 | 3.75 |
Check all six positions. =SUM(A9:B9) in D9 should equal 12.75. Row 9 now contains the amounts; summing the entire transposed rectangle would mix quantities, prices and amounts. A correct transposition does not make that mixed-unit total meaningful.
This exercise transposes values, avoiding a separate question about how formula references transform. Do not extrapolate its result to a transposed live formula model.
Scale only the two snapshot amounts
Enter 1.10 in K2 and K3. These are two explicit multiplication factors for the two destination amounts. Copy K2:K3, select G2:G3 and open Paste Special:
- Paste type: As Value
- Cell operation: Multiply
- Region operation: None, not the Transpose option used previously
Confirm. Expected G2 is 9.9, G3 4.125, and =SUM(G2:G3) is 14.025. Source C2:C3 remains 9, 3.75 and the earlier transposed A9:B9 remains 9, 3.75. This is a snapshot adjustment, not a change to the original unit prices.
The exact result 4.125 has three decimal places. Displaying only two decimals does not establish a rounding rule. If a real task requires rounded currency, calculate that explicitly and document the rule before using the result.
Recover and make the operation repeatable
Do not multiply the already scaled values by 1.10 a second time unless a second increase is intended. The two-step factor would be 1.21, producing 10.89 and 4.5375, rather than the single-adjustment values.
To recover reliably, copy C2:C3 and paste As Value, with both operations set to None, back into G2:G3. Expect 9, 3.75 and total 12.75. Then apply the factor range once if you want to finish with the adjusted snapshot. This restoration avoids relying on the availability of an old Undo entry.
Advanced case: division direction
In a disposable copy of the restored snapshot, put 2 in K2:K3. Copy these factors and paste into G2:G3 using Divide. Gnumeric’s documented operation divides the existing destination by the corresponding copied value. Expect 4.5 and 1.875, not 2/9 and 2/3.75.
Restore G2:G3 from source C2:C3 as described above. Save a native workbook, reopen it, and inspect one source formula plus one snapshot value. Their different behavior is part of the deliverable.
Troubleshooting and evidence
Wrong shape usually means Transpose was left enabled or the destination was selected incorrectly. Wrong scaled numbers may mean the factors were applied twice. A snapshot that recalculates indicates formulas were pasted rather than values. Stop before overwriting an occupied destination; keep transformations in unused ranges during practice.
Reviewed 2026-10-19: Gnumeric 1.12 menu manual and src/dialogs/paste-special.ui plus its controller in the official 1.12.62 source distribution. Labels and documented operation semantics are source-backed. Numeric and shape checks are independent; native pasting, persistence and screenshots remain unverified.
Related: SUM, ROUND and file-format compatibility.