Data series
When entering data into a table among them, there is often a meaningful connection, that is, they belong to a certain set of data. This is most commonly encountered when filling out the regular numbers in the table. Excel has fine mechanisms for automatically filling data sets that, apart from numbers, can also be used to fill dates, as well as to copy values in a table. The following text will be about the series of data series.
As every great path starts with the first step, the sequence starts with the first article that we enter in the table. When entering regular numbers, this is usually the number 1. If we want to proceed automatically, we use the following technique: there is an indicator that resembles a square in the cell in which the starting member of the string is located, at its lower right corner. Clicking on this indicator, and then dragging it in a certain direction (clicking, selecting, and releasing the key), an automatic filling of the string with the same values is done – copying the members of the string. If we repeat this operation, while holding down the CTRL key at the same time, the sequence is filled with regular numbers.
We can also perform this operation
Copy Cells option copies the start member of the string, Fill Series completes the string, Fill Formating Only only formatates the specified range, and Fill Without Formating completes the range of values without formatting. If we apply the first technique, by clicking the left mouse button on the indicator, when we finish dragging to the right of the indicator, a small icon will appear. Clicking on the icon opens the Autofill menu, which contains the options for copying cells, filling the batch, copying formats, copying content and Flash Fill (about this option will be in one of the following texts). These are shortcut techniques used to fill the data set. If we want to use advanced filling options, we need to enter the first member of the string, select the area to be filled in, and then select the Fill/Series option, located in the Home ribbon. By launching this action, the dialog box with the same name opens with the options for detailing the filling criteria. First of all, we can specify here whether the data is in rows (Rows) or columns (Columns). Then, we choose a fill mode, which can be: Linear, Growth, Date and AutoFill based on previous values in the column (Autofill).
If the Linear option is selected, the array is linearly filled, or a new member of the string is obtained by adding the first member by the value of the incremental step of the next step member (Step Value). If we have chosen the Growth value, the string is filled in by each subsequent member being multiplied by the value of the step. In the event that the starting member of a string is a Date, in the Date Unit option, the time interval can be set to increase the next string member. The last option Autofill allows you to automatically recognize the next member of the string with Excel … Also, it is possible to set the end value of the string (Stop value).
If we make a series based on two starting values (eg 1 and 2), we can also use the Trend option. By marking this checkbox, we are only allowed to use the Linear and Growth options. In the first case, a step is calculated as the difference between the second and the first member, and in the second step is their product.