7. Autofill and Copying Data:

Showing how to use the autofill feature and copy data efficiently.


To use the autofill feature and copy data efficiently in Excel, follow the steps below:

  1. Autofill:

    • Select the cell or range of cells that contain the data you want to fill.
    • Move your cursor to the bottom-right corner of the selected cell(s) until it turns into a small black crosshair.
    • Click and drag the crosshair over the adjacent cells where you want to autofill the data.
    • Release the mouse button to complete the autofill. Excel will automatically fill in the selected cells with the appropriate data based on the pattern detected.

  2. Autofill Options:

    • After autofilling, Excel displays a small options button at the bottom-right corner of the filled range. Click on this button to access additional autofill options.
    • The Autofill Options menu offers various options such as Fill Series, Fill Formatting Only, Fill Without Formatting, Copy Cells, and more.
    • Choose the desired option from the menu to apply specific autofill behavior.

  3. Custom Autofill:

    • Excel’s autofill feature can also be used to create custom lists for filling in repetitive data patterns.
    • To create a custom list, enter a few values in a column or row that represent the desired pattern.
    • Select the cells containing these values and drag the fill handle (the small black square at the bottom-right corner of the selection) to extend the series as needed.
    • Excel will automatically generate values based on your custom list pattern.

  4. Copying Data:

    • Instead of using autofill, you may need to copy and paste data from one location to another within an Excel worksheet or between different worksheets/workbooks.
    • Select the cells or range of cells you want to copy.
    • Press Ctrl+C (or right-click and choose Copy) to copy the selected data.
    • Move your cursor to the destination cell or range where you want to paste the copied data.
    • Press Ctrl+V (or right-click and choose Paste) to paste the copied data into the destination.

  5. Paste Special:

    • Excel’s Paste Special feature allows you to paste copied data with specific formatting or operations.
    • After copying the data, right-click on the destination cell or range where you want to paste.
    • Choose “Paste Special” from the context menu.
    • In the Paste Special dialog box, select the desired options such as values, formulas, formats, transposing, etc., and click OK to paste with the chosen specifications.

By utilizing these techniques, you can efficiently use the autofill feature and copy data in Excel.