Objective 2. Copy Text Using the Fill Handle

AutoFill can not only extend a series of values, but it can also duplicate text into adjacent cells. This is another way that Excel helps to reduce your typing.

Activity 2.3. Using Copy and AutoFill to Copy Text

The fourteen-day schedule with six shifts that you have created for the staff at the concession stand now has eighty-four cells to fill. In this activity, you will use AutoFill and Copy to enter each staff member's name once to quickly fill in the worksheet.

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1.

In cell C4, type Bill and then on the Formula Bar, click the Enter button . Notice that cell C4 is still the active cell.

The entry is confirmed and cell B4 remains selected. Clicking the Enter button on the Formula Bar confirms your entry in the same manner as pressing or . The difference is that the active cell does not change, which is convenient when you want to continue using the original cell.
 

2.

Point to the fill handle in cell C4 and then drag downward through cell C7.

The value Bill is duplicated in all the cells and the Auto Fill Options button displays.
 

3.

Click the Auto Fill Options button arrow to display the menu, and then compare your screen with Figure 2.7.
 

Figure 2.7.

The default option Copy Cells is selected. Because Excel did not interpret the name to be part of a series, it copiedduplicatedthe value in the selected cells.
 

4.

In cell C8, type Grace and then on the Formula Bar click the Enter button . Drag the fill handle to the right to F8.
 

5.

With the range C8:F8 still selected and filled with Grace's name, drag the fill handle in cell F8 down to F9.

You can fill a range of cells by filling a row or column, and then by dragging the fill handle a second time to fill the range.
 

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6.

Using the techniques you have just practiced, fill in the remaining names for the first seven daysMonday through Sunday. Refer to the following table, and then compare your screen with Figure 2.8.
 

Figure 2.8.

 

Starting	Ending	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
6:00 PM	7:00 PM	Bill	Juan	Juan	Sally	Sally	Bill	Bill
7:00 PM	8:00 PM	Bill	Juan	Juan	Sally	Sally	Bill	Bill
8:00 PM	9:00 PM	Bill	Juan	Juan	Sally	Sally	Bill	Bill
9:00 PM	10:00 PM	Bill	Juan	Juan	Sally	Sally	Bill	Bill
10:00 PM	11:00 PM	Grace	Grace	Grace	Grace	Sally	Grace	Grace
11:00 PM	12:00 AM	Grace	Grace	Grace	Grace	Sally	Grace	Grace

 

7.

Select the range C4:I9 to select the names for the first week, and then on the Standard toolbar, click the Copy button .

The selection is surrounded by a moving border. The schedule for next week is almost the same as this week, so you can save time by copying and pasting the first week's schedule and then making a few changes.
 

8.

Scroll to bring columns J through P into view on your screen. Then, click cell J4, and on the Standard toolbar, click the Paste button .

When you paste a range of copied cells, you need not select the entire target rangethe range to which you want to copy the information. Clicking only the upper left cell of the target range before you click Paste will position the pasted cells properly. The moving border surrounding the original range remains until you perform some other action or press .
 

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9.

Click cell M8. Type Sally and then on the Formula Bar, click the Enter button . Drag the fill handle down to M9, and then compare your screen with Figure 2.9.
 

Figure 2.9.

By typing only a few original cell entries, you were able to fill the worksheet with 84 names. You can see that the AutoFill command assists with your typing. The schedule for This Week and Next Week is complete.
 

10.

Save your workbook.
 

More Knowledge: Moving Text Using the Cut and Paste Method

The copy and paste method duplicates the cell contents. If you prefer to

move the cell contents, use the Cut button instead of the Copy button .

[Page 704 (continued)]

Objective 3 Use AutoFormat