When dealing with large datasets you would often need to fill in values. Excel provides several easy ways to fill cells. There are two primary methods for filling cells.
1. Drag the fill handle
2. Use Edit > Fill from the menu
**Filling cells with fill handle**
When you select a cell, you would see a small dark rectangular dot at the bottom right of the cell. This is the fill handle. Drag this handle in any direction and Excel would start autofilling the cells. If you select multiple cells and then drag, Excel would try to decipher the trend and fill cells with a series. For example, type 1 in cell A1, 2 in A2, and 3 in A3. Select all three cells and drag the fill handle to A10. Excel would fill the cells with the values 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 since it detected a trend of one number increments.
**Filling cells from the menu**
This is a two-step process. Select the cells and then click on Edit > Fill. Once filled, you can use the small icon on the bottom left of the filled cells to fine-tune the file. Fill handle is easier to use unless you have to make a really massive fill. For example, if you have to fill 65000 cells with a value ‘Y’, you would have to hold your mouse for a very long time. Instead you can simply type Y in cell A1. At the top left of the window where you will see A1, replace it with A1:A65000. Hit enter and the cells would be selected. Then click on Edit > Fill.