how do I drag to extend a series across lots of cells quickly?

[Guest]

In Excel, it is possible to drag a cell down (or across) to extend a series
(e.g. a formula) by selecting the cell and using the square in the bottom
right of the cell.

This is fine for relatively small numbers of cells. But is there a quick way
of extending a series across a large number of cells without just being very
patient?

 

[Jon Peltier]

Click the cell in the top left corner, scroll to the bottom right corner,
hold Shift and select this corner cell.

- Jon

 

[Guest]

Thanks for that, but that method is just for selecting a range of cells, not
dragging to extend a series.

Have you got any other ideas?

 

[RagDyeR]

For this procedure to work, you must know, before hand, the cell reference
of the last cell in the range to copy to.

Enter formula in top left cell of proposed range.
Select that cell.
In the name box, enter bottom left cell of range to copy to.
Hold <Shift>, and hit <Enter>.

This only selects the proposed range, and leaves the focus in the cell
containing the formula.

Now, perform the copy to this range by:

While range is *still* selected,
Hit <F2>
Then hold <Ctrl>
And hit <Enter>.


--

HTH,

RD
=====================================================
Please keep all correspondence within the Group, so all may benefit!
=====================================================

Thanks for that, but that method is just for selecting a range of cells, not
dragging to extend a series.

Have you got any other ideas?

 

[RagDyeR]

Sorry, made a typo.

In "Name Box", enter bottom *right* cell of range to copy to.
--

Regards,

RD
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------
Please keep all correspondence within the Group, so all may benefit !
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------

For this procedure to work, you must know, before hand, the cell reference
of the last cell in the range to copy to.

Enter formula in top left cell of proposed range.
Select that cell.
In the name box, enter bottom left cell of range to copy to.
Hold <Shift>, and hit <Enter>.

This only selects the proposed range, and leaves the focus in the cell
containing the formula.

Now, perform the copy to this range by:

While range is *still* selected,
Hit <F2>
Then hold <Ctrl>
And hit <Enter>.


--

HTH,

RD
=====================================================
Please keep all correspondence within the Group, so all may benefit!
=====================================================

Thanks for that, but that method is just for selecting a range of cells, not
dragging to extend a series.

Have you got any other ideas?

 

[Gord Dibben]

If adjacent column has data, double-click on the fill handle will copy down to
first blank cell in adjacent column.

Doesn't work with filling across rows.

Select cell and type range address in Name Box and ENTER then CTRL + D


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP