First is AutoFill
To quickly fill in several types of data series, you can select cells and drag the fill handle. To use the fill handle, you select the cells that you want to use as a basis for filling additional cells and then drag the fill handle across or down the cells that you want to fill.
By default, the fill handle is displayed, but you can hide it, or show it if it's hidden.
Likewise, if the Auto Fill Options button does not appear when you drag the fill handle, you might want to turn it on.
Second is AutoSum
If you need to sum a column or row of numbers, let Excel do the math for you. Select a cell next to the numbers you want to sum, click AutoSum on the Home tab, press Enter, and you’re done.
When you click AutoSum, Excel automatically enters a formula (that uses the SUM function) to sum the numbers.
Notes:
- To sum a column of numbers, select the cell immediately below the last number in the column. To sum a row of numbers, select the cell immediately to the right.
- AutoSum is in two locations: Home > AutoSum, and Formulas > AutoSum.
- You can also use AutoSum on more than one cell at a time. For example, you could highlight both cell B7 and C7, click AutoSum, and total both columns at the same time.
Third is AutoComplete
If the first few characters that you type in a cell match an existing entry in that column, Excel automatically enters the remaining characters for you. Excel automatically completes only those entries that contain text or a combination of text and numbers. Entries that contain only numbers, dates, or times are not automatically completed.
After Excel completes what you started typing, do one of the following:
- To accept a proposed entry, press Enter.
- The completed entry exactly matches the pattern of uppercase and lowercase letters of the existing entry.
- To replace the automatically entered characters, continue typing.
- To delete the automatically entered characters, press Backspace.
Some extra tips for you:
Working using Excel with Basic Formulae
If you're new to Excel, you'll soon find that it's more than just a grid in which you enter numbers in columns or rows. Sure, you can use Excel to find totals for a column or row of numbers, but you can also calculate a mortgage payment, solve math or engineering problems, or find best case scenario based on variable numbers that you plug in.
Excel does this by using formulas in cells. A formula performs calculations or other actions on the data in your worksheet. A formula always starts with an equal sign (=), which can be followed by numbers, math operators (like a + or - sign for addition or subtraction), and built-in Excel functions, which can really expand the power of a formula.
For example, the following formula multiplies 2 by 3 and then adds 5 to that result to come up with the answer, 11. The syntax is like this =2*3+5
So don't forget to try this on your data.