Weekly Computer Tip # 296
17 January 2010

quickly fill data down or to the right
(Excel 2000-2007)

When you enter a lot of data in an Excel worksheet you can find yourself having to insert the value that is in the same field in the previous row or column. You probably use Autofill or the standard Edit, Copy and Edit, Paste commands or its toolbar button. Or perhaps you use the CTRL+C and CTRL+V shortcut? Well, there is an even easier shortcut to quickly copy the value that is in the row above or the column to the left.

Here's how:

1. CTRL+D (for Down) to copy the content and formatting of the row above where you have your cursor.
2. CTRL+R (for Right) to copy the content and formatting of the column to the left of where you have your cursor.

If you first select a range of cells under the row or to the right of the column you want to copy, you fill the data down or to the right in all selected cells.

By the way, for those of you who are looking for something similar in Access: tip 74 describes the CTRL+' (apostrophe) trick; see tip_74.php for full details.

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