Information you cut or copy to another program is pasted, if possible, in a format that the program can edit.

For example, data from Microsoft Excel worksheets and records from Microsoft Access are pasted by default into Word as Word tables, complete with column widths and font formatting. Text separated by tab characters from Word is pasted into Excel in rows and columns of cells.

If a program can't edit the information, it inserts it as an embedded object (embedded object: Information (object) contained in a source file and inserted into a destination file. Once embedded, the object becomes part of the destination file. Changes you make to the embedded object are reflected in the destination file.). You can use the source program (source program: The program used to create a linked object or embedded object. To edit the object, you must have the source program installed on your computer.) to edit embedded objects. If the information can't be inserted, it is pasted as a static picture that cannot be edited.

The default format of pasted text can be affected by whether or not you include a paragraph mark (paragraph mark: The nonprinting symbol that Microsoft Word inserts when you press ENTER to end a paragraph. The paragraph mark stores the formatting you apply to the paragraph.) or section break (section break: A mark you insert to show the end of a section. A section break stores the section formatting elements, such as the margins, page orientation, headers and footers, and sequence of page numbers.) in your selection, although you can change many formatting attributes as you paste with the Paste Options button .

Copy a selection without its paragraph mark

The character style and any additional character formats applied to the selection.

Copy a selection with its paragraph mark

The paragraph style and any additional paragraph formats applied to the paragraph. By default, the paragraph mark is included when you select a paragraph, but you can change the setting by clearing the Use smart paragraph selection check box on the Edit tab (Options command, Tools menu).

Copy a selection with its section break

All the formatting for the section that precedes it, including margins, number of columns, line numbers, page size and orientation, and headers and footers.

Notes

• To view paragraph marks and section breaks on the screen, click Show/Hide on the Standard toolbar (toolbar: A bar with buttons and options that you use to carry out commands. To display a toolbar, press ALT and then SHIFT+F10.).

• When you copy text formatted with a specific paragraph style to a document that contains a style with the same name, you will be prompted whether you want to format the selection with the style from the original document, the style of your current document, or format as plain text.