Microsoft excel comes with pre-defined list, like days of week, months of year etc. This enables us to reduce our data entry work and valuable working time. We use this list by typing the first item in the list, then click and drag fill handle
What is fill handle?
Click on a cell in a excel worksheet; you will see a black square at its right bottom corner is called fill handle, cursor turn in to a cross hairs when you hover.
How to use a built in list?
Select the cell of a column or row in which you want to start the list, now type the first item in the list, and press enter. Reselect the cell, move mouse cursor over fill handle click and drag either to right or down or to left or up. This will fill the successive item in the continuous cell.
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Features of List in excel
- Consider using week list, if you pass 7th cell the next cell start repeating the list.
- If you drag left or upward direction item fill in reverse direction, like Friday, Thursday, and Wednesday.
- You can start with any item within the list, from April or from December etc.
Create a Custom list or readymade list in excel.
Let us take an example; suppose you are using a long list of employees for creating payroll every month, instead of typing all names we can create a list, save it then use it whenever you want.
Open Microsoft excel, create list of employees you want to save. Select the list you want to save
Then click on file in Microsoft office 2010 or office button in 2007
Click Excel option (2007) or option (2010), Select advanced tab scroll down until you find Edit custom list button
Click on Edit custom Lists, custom list screen will appear
Select new list under custom lists, click on import all names in the list will have imported to new list.
Click ok.
Now custom list is ready for use. Test new list in a fresh excel work book.