Excel's Fill Down feature is often one of the first things you'll encounter on your journey to excelling Excel. It's a user-friendly function that offers multiple methods to achieve the same result.
In this article, you will learn all there is to know about this function and how to use it effectively. With various methods at your disposal, you can choose the one that suits your efficiency best.
What is the Fill Down in Excel?
While copying and pasting elements within an Excel cell is one way to enhance work efficiency (by using Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V), the 'Fill Down' function in Excel is a remarkable time-saver. This feature allows you to effortlessly extend the content of a cell to the entire column downwards or a row into adjacent cells. You have the option to either duplicate the elements exactly as they are or create a specific sequence as per your requirement.
The Excel Function of Fill Down
Here are some ways you can make the most out of the Fill Down function in Excel.
Copying Formulas: You can simply select the fill handle of the selected cell where the formula is implemented and drag it either below or adjacent to the cell. The applied formula will ultimately fill all the cells selected and give you the obtained value from the formula.
Filling Down Blank Cells: With this function, you can simply populate all the blank cells of columns and rows of the selected cell with the same value. It also provides you with the convenience of creating sequences such as increasing numbers, dates, or even months.
Automating the Process: You can fully automate the process of filling in blanks within a column or row by using tools like formulas, Power Query, or VBA macros. This means you don't have to do it manually since the computer is handling it for you.
Copying Cell Contents: Just like filling down the blank cells, you can copy the same contents of the cell you select onto the rows and columns without having to use the traditional copy-pasting technique. With a simple Ctrl+D, you can get the job done much faster.
How to Use the Fill Down in Excel?
While working with large sets of data, the Fill Down function can create great convenience for users for copying the contents of the cell's rows and columns. We have listed 3 major methods that you can use to make data handling accessible and accelerated.
Method 1- Formula
Let’s learn this technique with a simple example. Our store, T-clothing, purchases sportswear from several vendors.
As we complete our Excel sheet, we see that a few cells are left empty in the Vendors column. Here’s how we can use the Excel Fill Down formula to make this task easier for us:
Step 1: Select all the cells where you want Vendor’s name to be displayed.
Users can also use the Excel shortcut “Hold Shift” to select the desired cells. Simply click on the first cell>Hold Shift>scroll down>Click on the last cell.
Step 2: Visit the “Home” tab in the ribbon menu, and click on the “Find & Select” option to open the drop-down menu.
Step 3: Select the “Go To Special” option from the drop-down menu.
Step 4: In the Go To Special Dialog box, select “Blanks” and press “OK”.
Step 5: After using the "Go To Special" option in Excel and selecting "Blanks," only the blank cells will be left as the remaining selection from the initial selection.
Step 6: Users can enter a simple formula by typing "=" to initiate it and then select the cell above as a reference in Excel.
Step 7: After entering the formula, use the Excel Fill Down shortcut "CTRL + ENTER". Excel will execute the formula for all remaining blank cells, using the cell above as a reference to fill them.
Method 2- Power Query
To perform this method, we will be using the same example as above. Power Query is effective on tables, so firstly we will have to format our data as a table.
Step 1: Visit the “Data” tab in the ribbon menu, and select “From Table/Range” to open Power Query Editor.
The Power Query Editor will show a preview of our table, here we can see our Vendor’s column, and the blank cells are represented by “Null”.
Step 2: Simply right-click on the Vendor’s column heading and find the Fill option and select “Down”. 
Step 3: This function will automatically Fill Down all the empty cells in our table.
Step 4: In the ribbon menu of Power Query, visit the Home tab and click on “Close & Load” to go back to our Excel sheet.
Step 5: A new sheet will now be added to our Workbook by Power Query with the output result.
Method 3- VBA Macro
The last method in the list is Excel Fill Down using VBA Macro. Let’s get to the steps on how to execute this advanced Fill Down function:
Step 1: Open the data sheet in Excel
Step 2: Visit the Developer tab in the ribbon menu and select “Visual Basic”.
Users can also use the keyboard shortcut “ALT + F11” to open the Visual Basic window.
Step 3: In the VBA windows, click on the “Insert” tab to open the drop-down menu and select “Module”
Step 4: In the Module window, we will be entering a new Macro. In this Macro, we are going to loop through all the cells in the selection to Fill Down all the blank cells in the table.
Step 5: To start the loop, we will first need to declare a variable for our range.
Step 6: We will then start our For loop. We will also include an IF Statement to evaluate if the current cell in the loop is blank.
Step 7: To end the IF statement, we will add a statement if the cell is blank. Our statement will be to execute the Fill Down function.
Step 8: Now, let’s just close our For loop and head over to Excel to run our Macro.
Step 9: To run our Macro, select “Macros” in the “Developer” tab.
Step 10: Select the “Fill Down” macro created and press “Run”.
Step 11: Excel will execute the Macro.
A Free Alternative to Microsoft Office - WPS Office
Excel has rapidly established itself as a leading tool in the data handling industry, known for its versatility and reliability. However, another office suite that is not far off from coming shoulder-to-shoulder with Excel is WPS's spreadsheet. It offers everything Excel does and more. It is entirely free and lightweight, allowing you to start using it instantly without any payment or complex downloads.
Moreover, WPS is an all-in-one office suite, providing access to various productivity tools within a single window. The spreadsheet within WPS includes all the major functions, with the Fill Down shortcut feature being particularly user-friendly. It allows you to efficiently use the Fill Down feature with all the methods there are and it will live up to your expectations. In the meanwhile, you can open PDFs, words, or presentations in separate tabs and retrieve values swiftly or paste tables.
FAQs
1. What Does AutoFill Do in Excel VBA?
AutoFill in Excel VBA automates cell filling with data patterns, saving time and effort. It uses the Selection.AutoFill method to fill cells based on previous values, making data manipulation more efficient. VBA allows for effective code usage in Excel workbooks and is useful for propagating formulas and inserting serial numbers in large datasets. Overall, VBA's AutoFill capabilities enhance productivity and simplify repetitive tasks in Excel workbooks.
2. Do I need a formula to create drop-down lists?
No, the formula is not a requisite for the creation of drop-down lists. You can easily generate a drop-down list by changing the method of entering data into cells using the data validation function from the toolbar. Users can either manually enter the list or refer to a range of cells. This straightforward and efficient way to manage data entries in Excel spreadsheets ensures data consistency and integrity.
Effortless Excel: Master Fill Down with WPS Office
Once you become familiar with the Fill Down feature, it becomes incredibly easy to use, making working on spreadsheets with WPS an enjoyable and effortless experience. In this article, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of the Fill Down function and how to utilize it in Excel. WPS, being a competitor to Excel, not only offers the luxury of Fill Down but also provides a range of additional features. Experience all the perks of Spreadsheet by downloading WPS Office now!
