How to group objects on multiple layers and have them stay on their designated layers?

[Document Geek]

I am doing prepress work where I need to step and repeat deisgns in a grid. However, the designs have objects on different layers (Print, Cut, Clear, White, etc). I need them to stay on these various layers. If I group the obejcts, they all get moved onto a single layer. 

Does anyone know of a plugin or workflow that can accomplish this?

[Ton Frederiks]

Try to check the "Paste Remembers Layers" option in the Layers panel.

[Document Geek]

Thanks, but that doesn't work. I'm not pasting. I'm group. And grouping pbkects moves them all onto the same layer.

[Ton Frederiks]

Don't group.

Just select the objects you need to duplicate and duplicate them with the option "Paste Remembers Layers"  on in the Layers panel. They will be duplicated on their own layer.

[Jacob Bugge · Accepted solution]

Document Geek,

Based on a different (mis)understanding, you may like the Save Selection option in the Select dropdown, described here (just search for the term, no need to scroll),

https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/selecting-objects.html

It starts with this:

With Save Selection, you can select multiple objects and save the selection for later use. You can then use this saved selection to move the objects together or change their appearance just like you'll do with a group object. However, unlike grouping, Save Selection selects the objects without bringing them all to the same layer.

[Ton Frederiks]

To be honest, I cannot remember having used the Save Selection option, but it is a good idea from Jacob.

[Jacob Bugge]

Not even in a previous millennium Ton?

[Ton Frederiks]

Maybe when it was introduced and I wanted to demo it as the next best thing, but then I forgot about it because I didn't use it.

[Ton Frederiks]

But it is good to be reminded of it as another tool in the toolbox.

[Document Geek]

This is exaclty what I've been needing. Perfect, thank you so much!!!

[Jacob Bugge]

For my part you are welcome, Document Geek, and thank you very much for sharing.

[Kurt Gold]

Saved selections are very useful, but one possible issue with them in that specific case is that their saved state will not be bequeathed when duplicating objects that are bound to the saved selections.

And just a general note: Unlike InDesign, currently in Illustrator grouped objects do not remember their initial layer affiliation and thus cannot restore the original assignment when ungrouping them.

[Jacob Bugge]

Kurt, I was thinking in (the crude) terms of moving copies once (Transform ticking Copy or Alt/Option+(Shift)ClickDragging to snap), then using Ctrl/Cmd+D to repeat.