Automatically Create a Series

Spreadsheets often require a progressive list of numbers or dates. Rather doing all the typing yourself, you can use Microsoft Excel to automatically generate the sequence you need.

For example, it’s the new year and you want a spreadsheet to track your expenses. To make your first row show all the months of the year:

1. In Cell A1, type "January"
2. In Cell A2, type "February"
3. Select both cells
   
4. At the lower right hand corner of Cell A2, drag the small box, called a “fill handle,” across the row to cell L1
   

Voila! You have inserted all 12 months

Extra notes

• The start of any series can be entered into the first 2 cells. Entering the dates 1/5/04 and 1/12/04 will generate subsequent Monday dates in the following cells. Entering the numbers 5 and 10 would generate 15, 20, 25, etc.
• Sequences will continue as long as you wish. However, if a sequence has a natural end, such as the months above, the pattern will repeat if you continue to pull across more cells.
• This technique works for columns as well as rows.
• If you have Microsoft Excel version 2002 or 2003, a smart tag (in the photo above, the box just to the right of the sequence) will appear and give you more choices.

First Choice/Your Choice packs tips like these into their computer training programs throughout the Chicago area. For timely assistance with individual questions, the Help, I'm Stuck application support program is available nationwide.

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