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Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: Workinghard on March 27, 2014, 10:06:27 AM

Title: Excel challenged
Post by: Workinghard on March 27, 2014, 10:06:27 AM
Okay, kinda embarrassed here but I'm totally ignorant with Excel. My brother did this spread sheet for me. It's great as I can put in different sale prices on our home and figure out how long the money will last us based on his assumptions. However, I need to expand it further as it only goes 246 rows and if I increase the value of our home's selling price, I can't tell when the money will run out. I know there's a way to drag cells but I'm totally clueless on expanding it. Any chance someone can fix it for me? At least I know how to do attachments! Thanks.
Title: Re: Excel challenged
Post by: Eric on March 27, 2014, 10:29:10 AM
Ctrl C -- copy
Ctrl V -- paste

Copy the formulas* in the last row of cells.  Highlight where you want them to go.  Paste.

*And by copy formulas, I mean just highlight the cells and it will automatically know to copy the formulas.
Title: Re: Excel challenged
Post by: the fixer on March 27, 2014, 10:32:48 AM
https://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel-help/fill-data-automatically-in-worksheet-cells-HP001216366.aspx
Title: Re: Excel challenged
Post by: Workinghard on March 27, 2014, 10:44:37 AM
Hmm, when I highlight and do a copy/paste, it just copies the figures in the last row versus the built in formulas and new calculations. Obviously, I'm doing something wrong.

Trying to figure out things from the link the fixer sent.....
Title: Re: Excel challenged
Post by: arebelspy on March 27, 2014, 10:56:27 AM
Hmm, when I highlight and do a copy/paste, it just copies the figures in the last row versus the built in formulas and new calculations. Obviously, I'm doing something wrong.

Trying to figure out things from the link the fixer sent.....

There's a few ways to do it, but press control-` (the symbol with the tilde ~, next to the 1) to change everything to formulas, then copy and paste them, then control-` back to change it back to numbers.

Dragging down doesn't work?  (I haven't looked at the spreadsheet).
Title: Re: Excel challenged
Post by: Le0 on March 27, 2014, 11:06:05 AM
The year in that date column is really off. Unless you are forecasting into 2034.

Attached sheet goes to row 500.

Check out that date column.
Title: Re: Excel challenged
Post by: senecando on March 27, 2014, 11:09:41 AM
arebelspy: You just rocked my excel world. Holy moly.
Title: Re: Excel challenged
Post by: arebelspy on March 27, 2014, 11:37:52 AM
arebelspy: You just rocked my excel world. Holy moly.

Yeah, it can be a useful trick.  :)
Title: Re: Excel challenged
Post by: Workinghard on March 27, 2014, 12:33:28 PM
Hmm, when I highlight and do a copy/paste, it just copies the figures in the last row versus the built in formulas and new calculations. Obviously, I'm doing something wrong.

Trying to figure out things from the link the fixer sent.....

There's a few ways to do it, but press control-` (the symbol with the tilde ~, next to the 1) to change everything to formulas, then copy and paste them, then control-` back to change it back to numbers.

Dragging down doesn't work?  (I haven't looked at the spreadsheet).

That did it, afebelspy! I'll need to manually add in the dates but no biggie.

Thanks, LeO! Yes, I'm trying to forecast, more or less, how long the money from our home will pay for rent.
Title: Re: Excel challenged
Post by: daverobev on March 27, 2014, 01:29:12 PM
To drag a series down.. ok try this on a new spreadsheet
Cell A1 type "1" (just the number 1), hit return
Type "2", hit return
Type "3", hit return

Then with the mouse select the three cells. While the three cells are selected (no mouse buttons down), put your cursor in the bottom right corner of the rectangle. It should turn into a black crosshair. Click and hold; drag down down down down. Release

It should fill in cells going down with 4, 5, 6...
Title: Re: Excel challenged
Post by: MDM on March 27, 2014, 02:22:19 PM
If you have a date in cell A7 and want cell A8 to have the same day but one month later, use =EDATE(A7,1).

If you have a date in cell A7 and want cell A8 to have the same day but one year later, use =EDATE(A7,12).

Etc.

Copying that formula saves a lot of typing.
Title: Re: Excel challenged
Post by: Workinghard on March 27, 2014, 02:36:00 PM
Thanks for the help everyone!