This is an Excel behavior: the clipboard hold the copied stuff only while
the ants are running around the selection. The clipboard is emptied if you
do anything before pasting; that includes closing the source file.
If you have the right Excel version, try using Office Clipboard rather than
Windows Clipboard. In XL2003 find Office Clipboard in Edit menu.

I did a copy, closeed the source file and pasted to a second Excel file from
Office Clipboard
I cannot experiment with Word2003 since I use Word2007 and it would take
hours (I exaggerate! but not much) to open the other version
best wishes
--
Bernard Liengme
Microsoft Excel MVP
http://people.stfx.ca/bliengme

"John" wrote in message
...
I copy something from a workbook. Then I close that, open another workbook
and try and paste but the stuff I copied has vanished. It's gone
completely. I can't even paste it to word or anything.

What happened?

Vista Home Premium with office 2003

John