Type the data into a spreadsheet cell. Place the cursor in the bottom right corner of the cell you just typed in until you see a plus sign. With the left mouse button, press and drag the Fill Handle (plus sign) to highlight all of the cells you want filled. Release the mouse button and the cells are filled with the value typed in the first cell.
Aug 26, 2020 To auto generate a series of days, weekdays, months or years with a specific step, this is what you need to do: Enter the initial date in the first cell. Select that cell, right-click the fill handle, drag it through as many cells as needed, and then release. In the pop-up menu, choose Series (the last item). All you need to do is enter your first two appointments, in this case in cell A3 and A4 I enter 8 am and 8:10 am respectively, then use auto fill (just move the cursor to the lower right corner of the cell A4 until you see the black cross then drag the pointer down until you reach 12 noon). Make the others match by selecting the filled cell and click the Fill Handle. Drag to end of line. The now selected cells will most likely copy the data in the first cell. Open Excel and enter the first two values of the series you want to autofill in a row or column. Select both cells and in the floating options bar, tap Fill. You will see the border around the cells change so that there is an arrow pointing left, and one going down. The arrows indicate which cells you want to autofill more values of the series in.
In this tutorial, learn how to add or autofill dates, months and today’s current time in MS Excel Sheet. There are many date format which you can enter in the cell.
All date formats are not the valid formats which you can use to autofill. To autofill your dates, you have to use the below guide. The guide contains the various step-by-step process to autofill required dates, months and the current time.
Learn with the steps and screenshots to understand each step visually. So, let’s start learning with the filling of dates.
How to Autofill Dates in Excel Sheet
The date format contains the months in numeric format. However, you can also use the alphabetical format of months in the dates. To autofill the dates. see the guide given below.
Dates Showing Numeric Months in Excel
The numeric date format can be auto-filled using the below steps. Follow each step and use on your Excel sheet.
1. Enter the date
First of all, enter the date as the format given in the image below. perhaps, you are not familiar with the date format to fill in the cell. Use the current date with the simple keyboard shortcut.
First of all, enter the date as the format given in the image below. perhaps, you are not familiar with the date format to fill in the cell. Use the current date with the simple keyboard shortcut.
You have to press the keyboard shortcut
ctrl+;
to get the current date. The output date is the required format which you have to use to autofill the dates.2. Click The Indicated Place and Hold Mouse Left Button
After you get the required numeric date format, you have to take you to mouse to the indicated place given in the image. When you take your mouse to the indicated place, you will get a plus(+) sign pointer.
After you get the required numeric date format, you have to take you to mouse to the indicated place given in the image. When you take your mouse to the indicated place, you will get a plus(+) sign pointer.
You have to now click and hold the left mouse button and follow the next step.
3. Drag-down to Fill Date
While holding the mouse left button, drag your mouse towards downward direction. You will get filled dates in the selected cells of the Excel sheet.
While holding the mouse left button, drag your mouse towards downward direction. You will get filled dates in the selected cells of the Excel sheet.
The above example shows the dates filled from cell B2 to B10. However, you can drag down to more cells to fill more dates as per your requirement.
Alphabetical Months Showing Dates in Excel
In addition to numeric date format, you can also autofill dates in alphabetical month format. To fill the date with alphabetical months, follow the step-by-step process given below.
1. Enter the date With Alphabet Format
There are many formats of dates with alphabet months. Below date format given in the image is our tested format. However, you can try more format and follow the steps to autofill dates.
There are many formats of dates with alphabet months. Below date format given in the image is our tested format. However, you can try more format and follow the steps to autofill dates.
Fill any cell with the above date format and follow the next step.
2. Click The Indicated Place and Hold Mouse Left Button
You have to now click the indicated place as given in the image below. The indicated place gives you a plus(+) sign on hover over the place.
You have to now click the indicated place as given in the image below. The indicated place gives you a plus(+) sign on hover over the place.
Hold your mouse after a click on the indicated place. Check the next step to complete filling the dates.
3. Drag-down to Fill Date In Alphabet Format
Drag your mouse to the downward to fill the dates. The dates get automatically filled in the reached cells of the Excel sheet.
Drag your mouse to the downward to fill the dates. The dates get automatically filled in the reached cells of the Excel sheet.
You have to drag your mouse till you reach the last required cell. The above image shows the dates with the alphabetical format month to fill.
Add Odd Number Dates in Excel
The odd number dates contain the odd number days. Here, you will learn how to autofill the odd number dates with the step-by-step guide below.
1.Enter Odd Number Dates In Two Cells
You have to first enter the two sequence odd dates in two cells. The example in the image below showing the two odd dates.
You have to first enter the two sequence odd dates in two cells. The example in the image below showing the two odd dates.
2.Select Two Cells
After entering the dates, you have to select the two dates using the shift and arrow key of the keyboard. If you select only the single cell, you cannot autofill odd dates in the Excel sheet.
After entering the dates, you have to select the two dates using the shift and arrow key of the keyboard. If you select only the single cell, you cannot autofill odd dates in the Excel sheet.
The above image showing the two selected odd dates. You can enter any other sequence of cells as per your requirement.
3. Click Indicated Place and Hold Mouse Left Button
Now, go to the indicated place as given in the image below. A plus(+) sign will starts to appear and you have to click and hold your mouse left button.
Now, go to the indicated place as given in the image below. A plus(+) sign will starts to appear and you have to click and hold your mouse left button.
Keep holding your mouse and follow the next step to autofill dates.
4.Drag-down to Add and Get Odd Number Dates
While holding your mouse, drag-down to the cell which is the end cell to autofill odd dates. You can autofill as many cells as you want to get.
While holding your mouse, drag-down to the cell which is the end cell to autofill odd dates. You can autofill as many cells as you want to get.
The above example showing the filled cells with odd dates. You can add your own dates with the above-given steps.
Show Even Number Dates in Excel
In addition to autofill odd dates, you can also autofill even date with the step-by-step process given here. Follow each step given below and if you feel any difficulty, you can see the screenshots also given with each step.
1. Put Even Number Dates In Two Cells
You have to first put two sequence even dates in the two cells. You can use any sequence of even dates as per your requirement.
You have to first put two sequence even dates in the two cells. You can use any sequence of even dates as per your requirement.
The above example image showing the two sequence of even dates. If you want to learn the process, you can try the same inputs in the two cell. After you understand the process, you can put your own required input to autofill even dates.
2.Select Two Filled Cells
Now, select these two cells filled with even dates. To select the cells, you have to use the keyboard shift key and arrow key.
Now, select these two cells filled with even dates. To select the cells, you have to use the keyboard shift key and arrow key.
The above example image showing the two selected cells with even dates.
3. Click Indicated Place and Hold Mouse Left Button
After selecting the cells, you have to go to the indicated place given in the image. A plus(+) sign starts appearing where you have to click and hold mouse left button.
After selecting the cells, you have to go to the indicated place given in the image. A plus(+) sign starts appearing where you have to click and hold mouse left button.
The above image showing the indicated place which you have to use.
4.Drag Your Mouse Downward to Get Even Dates
Keep dragging your mouse to the downward direction. Even dates start filling in the dragged cells you reach. You can fill as many cells as you want even dates.
Keep dragging your mouse to the downward direction. Even dates start filling in the dragged cells you reach. You can fill as many cells as you want even dates.
The above image showing the auto-filled even dates in the cells from B2 to B12.
Autofill Months in Microsoft Excel
In addition to the above dates, you can also autofill months using the steps given below. You can fill months in sequence or with increasing by two.
Add Months in Excel
To fill the sequence of months in the required number of cells continuously. You have to use the below-given methods given with screenshots.
1.Enter Month in a Cell
First of all, fill any cell with the start month name. Suppose, you have to start the month from January.
First of all, fill any cell with the start month name. Suppose, you have to start the month from January.
You can fill the cell with Jan as given in the image above
2. Click the Indicated Place and Hold Mouse Left Button
After entering the month in the required cell. You have to click the indicated place and hold your mouse left button.
After entering the month in the required cell. You have to click the indicated place and hold your mouse left button.
The above image showing the indicated place which you have to click. Also, keep holding your mouse left button for the next step.
3.Drag-down to Get Months
While you keep holding your mouse, drag your mouse till the cell you want to autofill with month. You can autofill the number of the cell using this method.
While you keep holding your mouse, drag your mouse till the cell you want to autofill with month. You can autofill the number of the cell using this method.
The above showing the auto-filled with the sequence of months in Excel sheet.
Display Months With Increasing By Two
You can also autofill month with increasing by Two. For example, you can start with the month Jan and the next sequence of the month is Mar. This shows that the months differ with two. See the below steps to fill with an increase by two.
1. Put Two Months With Second Increasing By Two
Enter two months with difference of two as given in the image below. You can change the month names as per your requirement.
Enter two months with difference of two as given in the image below. You can change the month names as per your requirement.
The image showing the entered months in the two cells.
2.Select Two Months
You have to now select the two months you are entered in the previous steps. To select the months, you can use the mouse or the keyboard shift key with the arrow key.
You have to now select the two months you are entered in the previous steps. To select the months, you can use the mouse or the keyboard shift key with the arrow key.
The above image showing the two selected cells filled with the months.
3. Click Indicated Place and Hold Mouse Left Button
The below image showing the indicated place which you have to use. Use the left mouse button to click the indicated place. You can see the plus(+) sign where you click and hold the mouse button for the next step.
The below image showing the indicated place which you have to use. Use the left mouse button to click the indicated place. You can see the plus(+) sign where you click and hold the mouse button for the next step.
The above image indicated the location where you have to take your mouse for the plus(+) sign.
4.Drag The Mouse Towards Downward to Get Months Increasing By Two
This is the last step where you have to drag your mouse while keep holding mouse left button. Drag-down mouse till you reach the required cell to autofill.
This is the last step where you have to drag your mouse while keep holding mouse left button. Drag-down mouse till you reach the required cell to autofill.
Check the above image showing the months with each month increase by two.
Get Current Date in Excel Sheet
In Microsoft Excel Sheet, you can get the current date with just pressing of the keyboard shortcut. Press keyboard shortcut
ctrl
+ ;
in the cell where you want to add the current date.On pressing of the shortcut, current prints automatically on the selected cell.
The above image showing the cell containing the current date.
Display and Get Current Time in Excel
In addition to getting the current date, you can also get current time using keyboard shortcut in Excel. You have to press the keyboard shortcut
ctrl
+ shift
+ ;
to get the current time.You will get the time showing AM or PM as per your current time.
The above example image showing the current time when we have created this tutorial post.
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Hope, you like this post of how to autofill dates, months and the current time in Microsoft excel sheet. If you have any query regarding the tutorial, you can comment below.
Reference
MS Office Support Docs
MS Office Support Docs
Also tell me, which other methods you are using to autofill dates and months in your Excel Sheet.
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It’s that time of the year again, we are all scrambling to close out 2018 while planning for 2019. There’s a lot of new technology and tools to help, but most of us still resort to the tried and true – Microsoft Excel. If you’re not a pro with formulas, and auto fill – then read on! You’ll save hours of time and make fewer mistakes.
Excel Formulas
Don’t be scared of Excel formulas. They are your best friend and hundreds to choose from. To get started, Microsoft has a great overview of Excel formulas.
In addition to a great overview, there are videos and examples on:
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- VLOOKUP – find things in a table or range
- SUM – adding values
- COUNTIF – count if the cell meets your criteria
- IF – make comparisons
- SUMIF – add the values in a range that meet your criteria
- And more
A couple of my favorite formulas for more complex data manipulation are VLOOKUP() and SUMIF(). VLOOKUP is great when I am trying to match data or I’m looking for data on other Excel sheets to put on a report. I use SUMIF a lot too. I can easily show totals for sales people, products and more on one sheet.
Understanding relative cell references is an important element of formulas. In a nutshell, when you create a formula, the cell references are relative to the location, meaning, the formula will update if you copy and paste (or use the auto fill handle) it to a new location. Here’s an example:
Auto Fill
The auto fill feature has been around since 2003, but the question is, how often do you use it?
Auto Fill will fill cells with data that follows a pattern or that is based on data in other cells, no more entering data manually on a worksheet.
Here’s how:
Screen Shot #1 – Filling data into adjacent cells by using the fill handle (+) Click the black plus sign at the lower-right-hand-corner of cell #5 (in this screen shot below E1) and drag your mouse across or down the cells you want to fill.
Note: By default, the fill handle is displayed, but you can hide it, or show it if it’s hidden.
Screen Shot #2 – After you drag the fill handle (+), cells will auto fill with data from the fill series. You can select from the options menu whether to fill with or without formatting, or select from any option you want.
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- Note: If you don’t want to display the Auto Fill Options button every time that you drag the fill handle, you can turn it off. Likewise, if the Auto Fill Options button does not appear when you drag the fill handle, you might want to turn it on.
Screen Shot #3 – Or like mentioned above, formulas (which contain relative cell references), will automatically update when you use the Auto Fill handle.
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Note: If you drag the fill handle up or to the left of a selection and stop in the selected cells without going past the first column or the top row in the selection, Excel deletes the data within the selection. You must drag the fill handle out of the selected area before releasing the mouse button.
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I hope you find these time-saving tips helpful. For more Office Productivity tips & tricks, subscribe to the Crestwood Blog.