Excel Data Entry Tips

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Excel Data Entry Tips

Excel Data Entry Keyboard Shortcuts
Excel Data Entry Mouse Shortcuts
Add Line Break in Cell or Formula
Quickly Change Formulas to Values
Enter Excel Data in a List

Excel Data Entry Keyboard Shortcuts

Use Shortcut Keys

Enter the current Date:  Ctrl + ;

Enter the current Time:  Ctrl + Shift + ;

Copy Value from cell above:  Ctrl + Shift + '

Copy Formula (exact) from cell above: Ctrl + '

Copy Formula (relational reference) from cell above:  Ctrl + D

Watch this short video to see the keyboard shortcuts for entering dates and times in a worksheet.

Enter Data in Multiple Cells -- Ctrl + Enter

Select all the cells in which you want to enter the same value or formula

Type the value or formula in the active cell

Hold the Ctrl key and press Enter

Copy Data to Adjacent Cells

Select the range, starting with the cell that contains the data to be copied

Use a shortcut key to fill right or down:

Fill Right -- Ctrl + R

Fill Down -- Ctrl + D

Excel Data Entry Mouse Shortcuts

Copy Data to Adjacent Cells

Select the cell that contains the data to be copied

Point to the Fill Handle -- the black square at the lower right of the selection

When the pointer changes to a black plus sign, press the Left mouse button, and drag left, right, up or down, across one or more cells.

When finished, release the mouse button.

Copy to Adjacent Cells -- with options

Select the cell that contains the data to be copied

Point to the Fill Handle -- the black square at the lower right of the selection

When the pointer changes to a black plus sign, press the Right mouse button, and drag left, right, up or down, across one or more cells.

When finished, release the mouse button.

Select one of the options from the shortcut menu

Watch this Excel Quick Tips Video for creating a list of dates that are a week apart.

Add Line Break in Cell or Formula

Add a line break when typing in a cell

Select the cell

In the formula bar, click where you want the line break

On the keyboard, press Alt + Enter, to add a line break

Press Enter, to complete the formula

The cell will automatically be formatted with Wrap Text, and you might need to widen the column.

Add a line break in a formula

Select the cell

In the formula bar, click in the formula, where you want the line break

To add a line break use this character, with the & operator:

CHAR(10)

Press Enter, to complete the formula

For example, change this formula:

="Total amount is: " & SUM(C1:C6)

to this:

="Total amount is: " & CHAR(10) & SUM(C1:C6)

Turn on Wrap Text

When you add a line break to a formula, the cell is NOT automatically formatted with Wrap Text, so you might need to turn that feature on.

Otherwise, you will see a small box where the line break should be.

To turn on Wrap Text:

Select the cell

On the Excel Ribbon, click the Home tab

In the Alignment group, click Wrap Text.

Quickly Change Formulas to Values

To quickly change formulas into values, you can use this mouse shortcut, shown in the video below. The written instructions are below the video.

To change formulas to their values, follow these steps:

Select the cells with the formulas that you want to change to values.

Point to the border of the selected range, and the pointer should change to a four-headed arrow.

Press the right mouse button, and drag the cells slightly to the right.

Keep pressing the right mouse button, and drag the cells back to their original location.

Release the right mouse button and a shortcut menu will appear.

Click on Copy Here as Values Only.

Enter Excel Data in a List

Use Excel's built-in Data Form to make it easier to enter data in a list. It will display a maximum of 32 fields.

Select a cell in the list.

Choose Data|Form

Click the New button, and enter the new record

Note: Fields which contain a formula, such as Total in the Data form shown here, will not have a text box. The formula will be entered and calculated automatically.

For a data form with additional features, you can try John Walkenbach's Enhanced Data Form. It's free, and allows unlimited fields.

1. Excel Data Entry Tips
2. Excel Data Entry -- Fill Blank Cells
3. Excel Data Entry -- Convert Text to Numbers
4. Excel Data Entry -- Increase Numbers With Paste Special

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Debra Dalgleish

Last updated: August 3, 2011 1:32 PM

Add a line break when typing in a cell Select the cell In the formula bar, click where you want the line break On the keyboard, press Alt + Enter, to add a line break Press Enter, to complete the formula
The cell will automatically be formatted with Wrap Text, and you might need to widen the column.

Add a line break in a formula Select the cell In the formula bar, click in the formula, where you want the line break To add a line break use this character, with the & operator: CHAR(10) Press Enter, to complete the formula
For example, change this formula: ="Total amount is: " & SUM(C1:C6) to this: ="Total amount is: " & CHAR(10) & SUM(C1:C6)

Turn on Wrap Text When you add a line break to a formula, the cell is NOT automatically formatted with Wrap Text, so you might need to turn that feature on. Otherwise, you will see a small box where the line break should be.

To turn on Wrap Text: Select the cell On the Excel Ribbon, click the Home tab In the Alignment group, click Wrap Text.

Enter Data in Multiple Cells -- Ctrl + Enter
Select all the cells in which you want to enter the same value or formula Type the value or formula in the active cell Hold the Ctrl key and press Enter

Copy Data to Adjacent Cells










Select the range, starting with the cell that contains the data to be copied Use a shortcut key to fill right or down: Fill Right -- Ctrl + R Fill Down -- Ctrl + D

Copy Data to Adjacent Cells










Select the cell that contains the data to be copied Point to the Fill Handle -- the black square at the lower right of the selection When the pointer changes to a black plus sign, press the Left mouse button, and drag left, right, up or down, across one or more cells. When finished, release the mouse button. Copy to Adjacent Cells -- with options
Select the cell that contains the data to be copied Point to the Fill Handle -- the black square at the lower right of the selection When the pointer changes to a black plus sign, press the Right mouse button, and drag left, right, up or down, across one or more cells. When finished, release the mouse button. Select one of the options from the shortcut menu Watch this Excel Quick Tips Video for creating a list of dates that are a week apart.