To create a basic row of consecutive numbers (or other data, such as days of the week or months of the year), see Filling a Column with Continous Numbers.
For example, if you are typing in cell B5, type =ROW(B5) instead.
To start with 1 no matter which row you want to begin your series of numbers, count the number of rows above your current cell, then subtract that number from your formula. For example, if you entered =ROW(B5) and want the cell to display a 1, edit the formula to say =ROW(B5)-4, as B1 is back 4 rows from B5. [3] X Research source
If you don’t see the Fill Handle, navigate to File > Options > Advanced and place a check next to “Enable fill handle and cell drag-and-drop. ”
If you delete a row included in this series, the cells numbers will automatically correct themselves based on their new row numbers.
If you use this method and later have to delete a row, you will need to repeat the steps to renumber the entire column. If you think you will be manipulating rows of data often, see Numbering Rows instead.
You don’t have to start with 1. Your series can start at any number, and can even follow other patterns (such as even numbers, in multiples of 5, and more). Excel also supports other types “numbering,” including dates, seasons, and days of the week. To fill a column with the days of the week, for example, the first cell should say “Monday. ”
If you wanted your continuous numbers to be something like 10, 20, 30, 40, etc, the first two cells in the series should be 10 and 20. If you are using days of the week, type the next day of the week into the cell.
If you don’t see the Fill Handle, navigate to File > Options > Advanced and place a check next to “Enable fill handle and cell drag-and-drop. ”
