Excel.Tips.Net Welcome toExcel.Tips.Net

Helpful Links

Tips.Net Home
ExcelTips Home
Ask an Excel Question
Make a Comment

Tips.Net Store

ExcelTips FAQ
ExcelTips Premium

Learn Access Now
Free Printable Forms

Beauty Tips
Car Tips
Cleaning Tips
College Tips
Cooking Tips
Excel2007 Tips
ExcelTips
Family Tips
Gardening Tips
Health Tips
Home Tips
Legal Tips
Money Tips
Organizing Tips
Pest Tips
Pet Tips
Wedding Tips
Word2007 Tips
WordTips

Advertise on the
ExcelTips Site

Newest Tips

Making the Formula Bar Persistent

Engineering Calculations

Digital Signatures for Macros

Fixing the Decimal Point

Using Named Ranges in a Macro

Selecting Tabs in Dialog Boxes

Pulling Formulas from a Worksheet

 

Quickly Filling a Column

Summary: Excel has a great (and little known) shortcut for filling a column with information. It comes in very handy when you need to copy a formula for the entire depth of the column, as described in this tip. (This tip works with Microsoft Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, Excel 2003, and Excel 2007.)

When creating a many-row worksheet, it is often necessary to type a formula in one of the top rows and fill the column with that same formula. A convenient way to find the bottom of the column is to go there once (when you are first working with the worksheet) and place a character in each cell of the last row.

Now, when you place your formula at the top of the column, you can simply do this:

  1. Select the cell that has your formula in it. (The one you just entered.)
  2. Press Ctrl+Shift+Down Arrow. This selects all the cells from the formula through the "bottom marker" in the column.
  3. Press Ctrl+D. The selected cells are filled with the formula.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2093) applies to Microsoft Excel versions: 97 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003 | 2007

Got the Time? Understanding the ins and outs of working with times and dates can be confusing. Remove the confusion--ExcelTips: Times and Dates is an invaluable resource for learning how best to work with times and dates.
 
Check out ExcelTips: Times and Dates today!