Combining attributes from two shapefiles into one shapefile

[DianaMcCandless]

Hello fellow users,
    I have two versions of the same 55-point shapefile. One has a certain set of attributes (Point_name, Date, & Time) and the other version has a different set of attributes (Point_name, Description).  I want to create ONE shapefile that has all the attributes and delete the other(s).

ISSUE #1:  I've tried to Copy_&_Paste the columns from one attribute table into the other, but have not been able to do it.  I can select a single column, right-click and the top and get the "Copy" option, but when I go to the other table and click in the empty target field, I am never given the "Paste" option.

ISSUE #2:  So I did a Join between the two tables, which worked fine, but I cannot delete the (now-extraneous) Joined shapefile without dissolving the join.  Also, I want to be able to delete the empty fields that have been added from the Joined table.  How would I make the joined fields a permanent addition to the target shapefile?

Thanks in advance for your help,
Diana McCandless

[JohnSobetzer]

After you joined the shapefiles you could export that to a new shapefile and it will contain all the fields.  Then you can delete the fields you don't want.  Or prior to joining in ArcMap you could hide the fields you don't want.