How do I select attributes from multiple records in a Table?

[WalterWitt]

I am correcting a Table created from an Excel spreadsheet that has attributes for about half the records switched into the wrong column. I am laboriously copying and pasting the incorrect attributes for each record, one by one. Is there no way I can select attributes from multiple records so the cut and paste process can be speeded up?

[JakeSkinner · Accepted solution]

Hi Walter,

Instead of copying/pasting, you should perform the following:

1.  Select all the incorrect rows

2.  Right-click on the field that needs to be updated > Field Calculator

3.  Set the field calculator to the field in which you wish to copy the values from

[WalterWitt]

Thanks for the tip, Jake. I haven’t used Field Calculater before. I do wish though that it could be simpler (like in Excel)

Cheers

Walter

[RebeccaStrauch__GISP]

Walter, Jake's answer definitely answers your question, but you may want to go back to your Excel document, which I assume was the source, to see if you can figure out the reason for the shift.  Chances are it is a formatting issue, such as having a comma or quote within a field, that is causing data to skip to the next field.

what process did you use?  Direct from Excel or thru a .csv format....thru a tool or copy-paste? One of these help topics may help:

Understanding how to use Microsoft Excel files in ArcGIS—Help | ArcGIS for Desktop   

Formatting a table in Microsoft Excel for use in ArcGIS—Help | ArcGIS for Desktop

An overview of the Excel toolset—Help | ArcGIS for Desktop

Adding a Microsoft Excel table to ArcMap—Help | ArcGIS for Desktop

Table To Excel—Help | ArcGIS for Desktop