"Can't paste objects" error when pasting plot from Excel into Illustrator

[Erin5EDF]

Hi all,

I'm trying to import several plots made in Excel into Illustrator to combine them into one figure. For some reason, some of the plots will paste just fine and some are giving me the following error: "Can't paste the objects. The requested transformation would make some objects fall completely off the drawing area." The plots are all the same size and shape, so I'm not sure why some are giving me this issue and some aren't.

I did some searching to see if I could resolve it, but the only thing I could find on this error suggested there was an issue with guides and that the solution was to delete them; my Illustrator file has no guides (deleting them is grayed out so I assume there are none in the document). I'm completely as to why I can't copy/paste these plots like the others I already successfully copied over.

Thanks in advance for any help.

[Monika Gause]

Since nobody can know what Excel copies into the clipboard, it will be difficult to help you.

You might get information from Microsoft, but I doubt it, as your workflow seems quite rare. They might not even think of it.

Can you save the graph as a PDF and then import it into Illustrator?

[Jack5CA8]

I have had this problem for years. In Excel, I have a graph that I want to copy and paste into Illustrator - but I get the "Can't paste the objects. The requested transformation would make some objects too large" error in Illustrator. I have figured out that I have to delete the vertical lines in the Excel chart that look like guides in my graphic. They are actually the vertical lines that "go on forever" from the x-axis. If you delete them, you can copy the graph with no problem. I have to then recreate those lines in Illustrator. If somebody knows a way to truncate or transform the lines so they can be copied into Illustrator, that would be great.

[michelew83603738]

Sometimes vertical lines are seen as guides for some reason. So delete those and then redraw in AI. 

[Alexandra269146177o55]

Hi All,

I've come across the same issue - trying to collate multiple graphs from Excel in Illusrator but it won't allow me to paste them. Tried pasting into Word, then copying and pasting that into Excel and it did the trick! Weird work around but suggest giving it a try if anyone else is stuck