Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Excel in Office 365. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: Sequentially Inputting Information.
It is not unusual to need to enter a series of numbers within a range of worksheet cells. For instance, you may need to enter a series of numbers in the first five columns of a particular row, or you may need to enter information just in a range of ten cells in a particular column.
To sequentially enter information in a range of cells, you should first select the cells. Notice that Excel leaves the top-left cell in the range as the input cell (it is white and outlined). The rest of the cells in the range are shaded, to show that they are selected.
Now all you need to do is start entering numbers. When you do, the value you enter is entered into the input cell. When you press Enter at the end of the value, Excel saves the value and moves the input cell to the next cell in the selected range. Excel will move the input cell either left to right, top to bottom or top to bottom, left to right.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (9548) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Excel in Office 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Sequentially Inputting Information.
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Want to select all the data in a contiguous section of a worksheet? The shortcut discussed in this tip makes it very easy.
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2014-11-17 21:55:12
Additional to this tip:
Non-contiguous cells on the same sheet can be saved as a named range and used in the same way. (eg - A3, B1, C3, D1)
Ctrl-select the cells - starting from the second one & ending at the first one. (eg - B1, C3, D1, A3)
Name the range.
If the cells are selected in the order that entry is required (ie - A3, B1, C3, D1), the first cell (A3) will need to be selected again to make it the active cell once the range is activated.
The problem here is that the user must tab (or enter) twice to leave that cell & move to the next in the range.
2014-06-07 11:05:38
Jerry
When using this data entry technique, be sure to press ONLY the Enter key or the Tab key to enter values and move to the next cell. If you press one of the arrow keys, Excel deselects the selected range.
Another benefit of this technique is that, when the selection comprises multiple columns and rows, Excel automatically moves to the beginning of the next column/row when you reach the edge of the selected range.
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Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Excel in Office 365. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: 
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