Label Planet
Our quickfire guide to the different paste options available in Word.
Not everyone knows that there are actually different types of paste. Each version works in a slightly different way, which has different consequences for how your pasted content turns out. Here’s our quickfire guide to the different paste options available in Word and which ones work best in label templates.
What Paste Options Are Available In Word Label Templates?
Word has four standard paste options, along with a further five options that relate to tables (which are used to create label templates).
Standard Paste Options In Word (left)
Keep Source Formatting, Match Formatting, Picture, and Keep Text Only
Table Paste Options In Word (right)
Cell Contents, Entire Cell, Merge Tabke, Insert As New Rows, Overwrite Cells, and Keep Text Only)
Standard Paste Options
Keep Source Formatting
This retains the formatting applied to your original content.
For example, copied text with a format of Arial size 12 pastes as Arial size 12.
Use when: you want to copy content into / across a template and keep the original formatting options of that content.
Match Formatting
Replaces the formatting options applied to your original content with the formatting used in the location where you are pasting your content.
For example, copied text with a format of Arial size 12 being added into a template with a format of Times New Roman size 16 pastes as Times New Roman size 16.
Use when: you want your copied content to have the same formatting used in your template.
Picture
Converts your copied content into a single image for pasting.
For example, copied text pastes as a single image.
Use when: combining multiple elements into a single design. NB: this option tends to produce low quality images.
Keep Text Only
Discards anything in your copied content that isn’t text and strips any formatting from that remaining text.
For example, a copied text box will have the text box removed and only the text will be pasted with its original formatting options removed.
Use when: adding text from an external source that has used a multitude of formatting options that you don’t want to keep.
Table Paste Options
Keep Text Only
As above.
Cell Contents
Pastes the cell contents you have copied, along with the formatting options applied to the content only.
For example, copies text and images that you have added to a label but not a background colour that has been applied to the label (table cell) itself.
Use when: copying label designs where you want to use a different background / border for each label (and the background / border is applied to the template itself, rather than using additional elements like a background image).
Entire Cell
Pastes the cell contents you have copied (retaining their formatting) AND applies the formatting of the original cell to the new cell.
For example, copies text and images that you have added to a label AND the background colour that has been applied to the label (table cell) itself.
Use when: you want to keep the formatting applied to your label designs (content of a cell) and the label itself (cell).
Additional options include:
- Merge Table: replaces formatting applied to your copied content with that of your template and merges your copied content with the template (table).
- Insert As New Rows: adds your copied content as a new row in your template.
- Overwrite Cells: overwrites your template with the copied content you are pasting.
These options are less useful than those mentioned above when it comes to adding designs to label templates.
How To Find Different Paste Options In Word Label Templates
You can find the different paste options under the “Home” tab of the ribbon at the top of the page.
To view all of the paste options, click on the downward facing arrow below the main paste icon. This brings up a dropdown menu showing icons for the different options. Hover over an icon to see which print option that icon represents). The options available will depend on the type of content you have copied and where you are pasting your content. If the paste tools are greyed out, you haven’t (correctly) copied any content to the clipboard.