Changing the auto fill order from ascending to descending

[Guest]

All,

I am seeking information on how to change the default auto fill order from
ascending to descending when using alpha numeric entries.

To clarify, if you enter data into a cell and then click the lower right
corner and drag to the next lower cell(s) the value increases. I would like
it to decrease. How can I set that up.

 

[Guest]

Hi
One way is to drag down with the right mouse button and then select Series .
.. . and select -1 in the Step field.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the input Andy. I tried that and it did not seem to work. I
wonder if I need to close the active wb and then reopen it and try again.

 

[Guest]

When you drag down using the *right* mouse button, a menu should pop up at
when you release it, with various options on.

 

[Guest]

That it does, but when I select the fill option, it just performs the fill,
but doesn't allow me to select the -1 stepping. However if I go to a blank
column and type a number then select the entire column and choose
edit/fill/series/ -1 on the stepping it works.....

 

[Guest]

Hmmm. Having re-read your post I can see that you are trying this on
alpha-numerics. It depends on the format they are in - and also the version
of Excel, I guess.

 

[Guest]

Kind of puzzling, huh? I am using Excel 2003. This doesn't seem like it
would be that difficult of a task. It's strange that when you click, either
left or right mouse button in the lower right corner of the cell and drag
down, everything goes in ascending order even though it's alpha-numeric.
Conversely, doing the same in the upper right corner of a cell and dragging
upward, it has a descending effect. One would think that this process could
be reversed.

 

[Guest]

I suppose an alternative is to split up the alpha and numeric bits, fill
your numeric series with the right mouse button and then concatenate them
back together. It depends on how big a deal the job is, I guess.

 

[Guest]

It would make this particular job easier, but at the same time it's not worth
the extra effort since I cannot be sure I'll run across something like this
again. Thanks for your help.

Dave...

 

[Gord Dibben]

Dave

Either..........

1. Enter a100 in A1 and a99 in A2 then drag down or

2. Enter a100 in A1 and =A1-1 in A2 and drag down.

AFAIK you cannot change the ascending order of Autofill when only 1 cell has a
value.


Gord Dibben Excel MVP