Data Entry and the Fill Handle

Entering Data

Click a cell, type, press Enter (moves down) or Tab (moves right). Excel guesses types automatically: numbers, dates and text show different alignments.

The Fill Handle

The tiny square at the bottom-right of a selected cell is the fill handle. Drag it down or across and Excel continues patterns:

• Type 1 then 2 in two cells, select both, drag - you get 3, 4, 5...
• Type January, drag - February, March...
• Type a day, a year, or a formula, drag to copy with adjustment.

After dragging, use the Auto Fill Options icon to choose Copy Cells or Fill Series.

Flash Fill (the magic shortcut)

Type the result you want once or twice and press Ctrl+E - Excel learns the pattern. Ideal for splitting names, trimming and reformatting:

Input:  "arjun patel"   ->  Type "Arjun Patel" then Ctrl+E -> done

Editing and Deleting

• F2 to edit; Backspace/Delete; Ctrl+Z to undo.
• Drag a cell border with the right mouse button to move or copy.
• Double-click on the fill handle copies the pattern down a full column of data instantly.

Text and Number Tricks

• Start text with an apostrophe to force it to stay text ('001).
• Type a long number and Excel may show 1E+20 - widen the column or format it.
• Dates are numbers under the hood - that is why sorting works.

Key Points

• The fill handle and Flash Fill eliminate hours of typing.
• Patterns (series, dates, formulas) are what spreadsheets are for.
• Right-drag for extra options you cannot get with the left button.