Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. 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: Automatically Numbering Rows.
Libby wants to insert a row number into column A of her worksheet. She wants the column to reflect the correct number of the row, even when she adds or deletes rows.
There are any number of formulas you can use in column A that will return a row number. Perhaps the easiest is to use the ROW function, like this:
=ROW()
This formula returns the row number of the cell in which the formula appears. If you want to offset the row number returned (for instance, if you have some headers in rows 1 and 2 and you want cell A3 to return a row value of 1), then you can modify the formula to reflect the desired adjustment:
=ROW()-2
Of course, the ROW function isn't the only candidate for your formulas. You can also use a formula that actually examines the contents of the adjacent column (B) and return a row number only if there is something in that adjacent cell.
=IF(TRIM(B1)<>"",COUNTA($B$1:B1)&".","")
This formula, placed in cell A1, examines the contents of cell B1. If there is something there, then the COUNTA function is used to count the number of occupied cells between cell B1 and whatever cell is to the right of where this formula is placed. The formula also places a period after the row number that is returned. Make sure the dollar signs are included, as shown, and then copy the formula down as many cells as necessary to create your row numbers.
The advantage to a formula such as this one is that it checks to see if something is in column B before it returns a row number. This means that you can copy the formula down beyond the actual end of your data rows, and only those rows that have data (triggered by something in column B) will have a row number. The same sort of technique could be used with the ROW function instead of the COUNTA function:
=IF(TRIM(B1)<>"",ROW()&".","")
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (10104) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Automatically Numbering Rows.
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2016-01-31 07:06:31
Michael (Micky) Avidan
To my opinion there is no need to declare a "Table"
* In the first cell type the first number (usually: 1).
* In the next cell (same column) type the following formula and copy down as far as needed.
=OFFSET(K6,-1,)+1
--------------------------
Michael (Micky) Avidan
“Microsoft® Answers" - Wiki author & Forums Moderator
“Microsoft®” MVP – Excel (2009-2016)
ISRAEL
2016-01-30 15:51:21
Phil
Saved me a lot of time. I can't tell you how many times I have used the Fill Cell and then formating the cell with a custom "0)" to add right ).
2016-01-30 08:04:53
Marcel Beugelsdijk
Depending on the requirements, I would either:
not use a formula, but type 1 and 2 in the first 2 cells, select both and drag down, 9or use the fill series functionality)
or
create a table (e.g. Table1) with formula in the first table data row:
=ROW()-ROW(Table1[#Headers])
which will still work when the table is moved, table rows are deleted or inserted.
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Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. 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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