Error message when trying to insert a column

[Guest]

Hello -

I'm in an Excel spreadsheet which I did not create. When I try inserting
columns, I am getting the following error message: "to prevent possible loss
of data, Excel cannot shift nonblank cells off the worksheet. Try to locate
the last nonblank cell by pressing CTRL+END and delete or clear all in cells
between the last cell and the end of your data. Then select cell A1 and save
your workbook to reset the last cell used. Or, you can move the data to a
new location and try again". What on earth does this mean? I the
spreadsheet is not large but when I hit CTRL+END, I go to IV102. I don't
know how to make this go away. Can anyone help, I would be most grateful.
Thank you!

Kelly

 

[Doug Kanter]

Hello -

I'm in an Excel spreadsheet which I did not create. When I try inserting
columns, I am getting the following error message: "to prevent possible
loss
of data, Excel cannot shift nonblank cells off the worksheet. Try to
locate
the last nonblank cell by pressing CTRL+END and delete or clear all in
cells
between the last cell and the end of your data. Then select cell A1 and
save
your workbook to reset the last cell used. Or, you can move the data to a
new location and try again". What on earth does this mean? I the
spreadsheet is not large but when I hit CTRL+END, I go to IV102. I don't
know how to make this go away. Can anyone help, I would be most grateful.
Thank you!

Kelly

It sounds to me like Excel thinks there is data living in the last column,
all the way out to the right. Is there?

 

[Guest]

Whoops Doug, sorry hit "no" thinking that was going to take me to the reply
box.. Anyway, no there is no data out there. There's only data from
a1:ae52. But just in case, I highlighted all columns AF-IV and deleted them,
plus all rows 53 and up. Still doesn't work.

 

[Guest]

Hey Doug - Just tried deleting rows again (more than last time) and it
worked. Wo-hoo! thanks so much!!!

 

[Dave Peterson]

Debra Dalgleish has some techniques to reset that last used cell:
http://www.contextures.com/xlfaqApp.html#Unused

 

[Doug Kanter]

I wish I'd seen this 10 years ago.

Debra Dalgleish has some techniques to reset that last used cell:
http://www.contextures.com/xlfaqApp.html#Unused

 

[Doug Kanter]

Internet Explorer may be a mess at times, but Excel, like a woman you've
known for many years, is pretty easy to work with if you have any intuition
at all. Or, it was a lucky guess on my part.

 

[Guest]

Yeah I'm going to go with lucky guess. We women are all nuts

 

[ger]

Deleting columns doesn't work for me....I still can't insert a column.
have tried deleting one.....a couple ....and all the way to the right