Chapter 2: Entering and Editing Worksheet Data
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make sure that the Places box is set for the correct number of decimal places for the data
you need to enter.When this option is set, Excel supplies the decimal points for you automatically. For exam-
ple, if you specify two decimal places, entering 12345 into a cell is interpreted as 123.45.
To restore things to normal, just clear the Automatically Insert a Decimal Point check box
in the Excel Options dialog box. Changing this setting doesn’t affect any values that you
already entered.The fixed decimal places option is a global setting and applies to all workbooks (not just the active workbook). If you
forget that this option is turned on, you can easily end up entering incorrect values—or cause some major confusion if
someone else uses your computer.
Using AutoFill to enter a series of values
The Excel AutoFill feature makes inserting a series of values or text items in a range of cells
easy. It uses the fill handle (the small box at the lower right of the active cell). You can drag
the fill handle to copy the cell or automatically complete a series.Figure 2.5 shows an example. Enter 1 into cell A1, and enter 3 into cell A2. Then select
both cells and drag down the fill handle to create a linear series of odd numbers. The figure
also shows an icon that, when clicked, displays some additional AutoFill options. This icon
appears only if the Show Paste Options button when content is pasted option is selected in
the Advanced tab of the Excel Options dialog box.FIGURE 2.5
This series was created by using AutoFill.