Ever spend time typing repetitive patterns in Excel—like splitting full names into first and last names, or formatting phone numbers? Let’s save you minutes every day with one magical feature: Flash Fill.
đź’ˇ What is Flash Fill?
Flash Fill is Excel’s smart assistant that recognizes patterns and automatically fills data for you. Introduced in Excel 2013, it’s one of those hidden gems that feels like magic once you use it.
⚙️ How to Use It:
- Suppose you have a list of names in Column A, e.g., John Doe, Jane Smith, Michael Jordan.
- In Column B, type John next to John Doe.
- Start typing Jane in the next row—and Excel will instantly suggest the rest of the list.
- Hit Enter or use the shortcut Ctrl + E to accept the Flash Fill suggestions.
Boom 💥 — all first names are filled automatically.
You can use Flash Fill for:
- Splitting or joining text (names, emails, IDs)
- Reformatting numbers (like phone numbers or dates)
- Extracting initials or domains from email addresses
🧠Pro Tip:
If Flash Fill doesn’t activate automatically, you can manually trigger it with: ➡️ Data > Flash Fill or use Ctrl + E.
Why It Matters: Flash Fill isn’t just a time-saver — it’s a gateway to cleaner, more professional-looking spreadsheets. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll wonder how you ever worked without it.
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