Tag Archives: Autofill

Excel Tips: Using Autofill for a Number Sequence

Autofill in Excel can be used to complete or extend any number sequence where the gap are equal.

  • Type in the first two number of the sequence in two adjacent cells
  • Highlight both entries
  • Drag down from the autofill handle 
  • Drag until you reach the number of entries you require 

When you let go you should have the sequence, however if the result wasn’t what you expected use the Auto Fill Options Smart Tag and pick the option you needed. 

Excel 2010 Tips Autofill and Dates

Autofill is a feature which will copy content down a column or accrss a row.  However it also creates sequences, using the same technique, with things that it recognises as being part of a sequence.  One such is dates.

Enter the starting date of your sequence in Excel and ensure it is formatted as a date

Select the cell containing your date and drag down from the autofill handle (the autofill handle is the little black square in the bottom right hand corner of the active cell.

A tooltip will appear showing you the date that you have reached as you drag the autofill handle down or across you spreadsheet.

This method works with any date format 

and even with multiple columns

As well as full dates and days of the week, autofill will complete a sequence of months and complete a sequence of the three letter names for days of the week or months.  Simply enter the day or month you wish to start on and autofill will do the rest.