Save time by filling cells automatically

Save time by filling cells automatically

Here’s how to use the fill feature in Excel: EXTRA CREDIT: Step 1
Cells C3 through G7 contain
Here’s how to usedata with
the fill five columns:
handle in Excel:"This:" column, which contains the number 50 in each cell; "Plus this:" This:column,Plus
which
this:
contains
Equals:
the numbers
Plus this:50,Equals:
60, 70, and 80; "Equals:" column, with cell E4 containing a sum of cells C4 and D4; "Plus this:" column, which contains the number 75 in each cell; and "Equals:" co
Go to cell E4. Press CTRL+G, type E4, then press Enter. 50 50 100 75 175 EXTRA CREDIT
1 E5, Click
Select cells E4, E6, andtheE7cell
by with thethe
holding number 100.while pressing the ARROW DOWN key, then press CTRL+D. Excel will automatically
SHIFT key 50 fill
60 the cells110
with the totals:
75 110, 120, and 130. PeopleClick calland
this drag
“filling
to down.”
select
EXTRA CREDIT: Go to cell G4 and repeat the fill down steps above. 50 70 120 75 these four cells, and
Cells C10 through G14 contain data with five columns. These columns contain the heading from C3 to G3 and the values from cells 50 C4 to G780after executing
130 steps75in cells A5 and A6. then press CTRL+D.
2 Select
Go to cell C15. Rest your
cells cursor
C15, D15, on
E15,the lower-right
F15, corner
and G15. This timeofpress
the CTRL+R
cell untilto fill the cells. This is known as “filling right.” That's the shortcut key
Dive down for more it becomes
detail: Go atocross:
cell A27. Or, to proceed to the next step, press CTRL+PAGE DOWN. for filling down. Can EXTRA CREDIT: Step 2
This: Plus this: Equals: Plus this: Equals: you guess what the
3 Click the cross and drag down three cells. Excel will automatically fill the cells 50 50 100 75 175 shortcut for filling right
is?
with the totals: 110, 120, and 130. People call this “filling down.” 50 60 110 75 185
50 70 120 75 195
4 Click the yellow cell with 200, and fill again but this time drag the fill handle to 50 80 130 75 205
the right to fill the cells. This is known as “filling right.” 200 260 460 300 760
EXTRA CREDIT: Step 3
Step 5

Dive down for more detail Next step

Use the fill handle to copy cells

Use the fill handle to copy cells
Sometimes you don't need the numbers to change as you fill. Instead, you just want to copy values to other adjacent cells. Here's how to do that:
Cells C33 to cell F37 contain four columns: Department, Category, Product, and Count.
Go to cell C34. Select C34, C35, C36, C37 and press CTRL+D. The value in C34 is filled down into the selected cells.
Sometimes
Go to cell A64 youinstruction.
for the next don't need the numbers to change as you fill. Instead, you just want to copy
values to other adjacent cells. Here's how to do that: Step 1 Step 2

1
Dept. Category Product Count
Click the cell with the word Produce. Rest your cursor on the lower-right corner
Produce Fruit Apple 100
of the cell until it becomes a cross, then drag down three cells.
Produce Fruit Orange 200
2 Now select the cell with the word Fruit. Rest your cursor on the lower- right Produce Fruit Banana 50
corner again, and when you get the cross, double-click. That's another way to fill Produce Fruit Pears 100
down in case you ever need to fill a long column.

Fill a series
Step 1 Step 2
Excel can automatically fill some cells based on a series. For example, you can type Jan in Jan Feb Mar
one cell, and then fill the other cells with Feb, Mar, etc. Week 1 35 44 79 Qrtr 1
Week 2 74 64 56 Qrtr 1
1 Click the cell with the word Jan. Week 3 82 50 83 Qrtr 1
 1 Click the cell with the word Jan.
Week 4 90 22 89 Qrtr 1

2 Rest your cursor on the lower-right corner of the cell until it becomes a cross, IMPORTANT DETAIL Step 4 Step 5
then drag right two cells. Excel detects a series, and fills in Feb and Mar for you. Select this cell, and then drag the fill
handle down 3 cells. After that, click this button:
This is the AutoFill Options button, and it lets you
3 Now select the cell with Week 1.
change the fill immediately after. Choose another
option like Copy cells or Fill formatting only. You
4 Rest your cursor on the lower-right corner again, and when you get the cross,
never know when these might come in handy
someday.
double-click it.
IMPORTANT DETAIL
Intervals
15 30 45 60 75 90

More information on the web EXPERIMENT

More information on the web
Fill data automatically in worksheet cells
Fill a formula down into adjacent cells
Select these two cells, and then drag the fill handle to the right.
Excel fills the series in increments of 15. Try changing 15 and 30
Go back to top by pressing CTRL+HOME. To proceed to the next step, press CTRL+PAGE DOWN. to other values, like 1 and 1.8. Or, Mon and Wed. Or, January
and March. And then fill to the right again... see what happens!
Fill data automatically in worksheet cells

EXPERIMENT
Fill a formula down into adjacent cells

CHANGING VALUES

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