How much time have you wasted typing in incremental data in Excel. Dates, times, reference numbers, etc? For example 1,2,3 or January, February, March, April, etc.
Have you tried the Fill Handle?
The Fill Handle allows you copy cell contents into numerous adjoining cells, formulas, and incremental data continuing a series. This is a huge time saver!
The Fill Handle is only accessible by moving your mouse cursor to the bottom right corner of a cell in an Excel Worksheet. It is symbolised by a bold plus. Clicking and dragging this symbol across a row, or down a column, will copy the cell contents whether that is text, values, or formulas.
But what is really interesting is the intuitive ability to continue a series. Try typing January in a cell, then locating the Fill Handle, and dragging across a number of cells. Excel automatically continues with the months of the year through to December and commencing with January again. You can perform this process with months simply by typing Jan too. And it works for other text like Days of the Week, even financial Quarters - QTR1, QTR2, etc. Try dates, times, and other series or patterns. Excel is highly intuitive.
How about numbers you may ask? Type 1 in a cell and locate the Fill Handle and drag across or down. The number 1 is copied into adjoining cells that you have dragged across. To achieve incremental counting simply type 1 in a single cell, then 2 in the adjoining cell, select both cells, locate the Fill Handle and drag to adjoining cells for Excel to continue the counting series. This can be great for invoice or reference numbers. Try typing 1.1 into a cell and 1.2 in an adjoining cell, select both cells and Fill Handle to continue the series.
Enjoy this amazing time saving tool in Excel!
Have you tried the Fill Handle?
The Fill Handle allows you copy cell contents into numerous adjoining cells, formulas, and incremental data continuing a series. This is a huge time saver!
The Fill Handle is only accessible by moving your mouse cursor to the bottom right corner of a cell in an Excel Worksheet. It is symbolised by a bold plus. Clicking and dragging this symbol across a row, or down a column, will copy the cell contents whether that is text, values, or formulas.
But what is really interesting is the intuitive ability to continue a series. Try typing January in a cell, then locating the Fill Handle, and dragging across a number of cells. Excel automatically continues with the months of the year through to December and commencing with January again. You can perform this process with months simply by typing Jan too. And it works for other text like Days of the Week, even financial Quarters - QTR1, QTR2, etc. Try dates, times, and other series or patterns. Excel is highly intuitive.
How about numbers you may ask? Type 1 in a cell and locate the Fill Handle and drag across or down. The number 1 is copied into adjoining cells that you have dragged across. To achieve incremental counting simply type 1 in a single cell, then 2 in the adjoining cell, select both cells, locate the Fill Handle and drag to adjoining cells for Excel to continue the counting series. This can be great for invoice or reference numbers. Try typing 1.1 into a cell and 1.2 in an adjoining cell, select both cells and Fill Handle to continue the series.
Enjoy this amazing time saving tool in Excel!
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