Excel tools to demonstrate

Try it! Fill up the range C2:C8 with Ctrl-Enter.

Pressing Ctrl-Enter enters what you typed in all of the selected cells (adjusted for relative addresses), so in general, it can be a real time saver. For example, it can be used to enter the number 10 in a whole range of cells. Just select the range, type 10, and press Ctrl-Enter.

Try it! Fill up the range B2:D8 with the value 10 by using Ctrl-Enter.



To copy with the drag handle:

Enter the formula in the top or left-hand cell of the intended range. Place the cursor on the “drag handle” at the lower right of this cell (the cursor becomes a plus sign), and drag this handle down or across to copy.

Try it! Copy the formula in C2 down through C8 with the “drag handle”.



To copy by double-clicking on the drag handle:

Enter the formula in the top or left-hand cell of the intended range. Double-click on the drag handle.

This method uses Excel’s built-in intelligence, but it works only in certain situations. Let’s say you have numbers in the range A3:B100. You want to enter a formula in cell C3 and copy it down to cell C100. Because this is a common thing to do, Excel does it for you if you double-click on the drag handle. It senses the “filled-up” range in column B and guesses that you want another filled-up range right next to it in column C. If there were no adjacent filled-up range, double-clicking on the drag handle wouldn’t work.

Try it! Copy the formula in C2 down through C8 by double-clicking the “drag handle.”