Entering and checking data

When you type, Excel aligns numbers to the right and text to the left by default, and it recognises dates, currency and percentages.

Fast ways to fill data:

• The fill handle, the small black square at the corner of a selection: drag it to continue a series. Dates fill too.
• Home > Fill > Series sets a step value and stop value (10, 20 ... 100).
• Import from a text or CSV file (Data > Get External Data > From Text): each line becomes a row, each comma separates columns, and the first line gives the column names.

Wrong data is cheaper to stop than to fix, so use data validation to limit what can be entered:

• A drop-down list: typed in, taken from cells, or from a named range like DEPT.
• Limits: age between 18 and 58, or a maximum text length.
• A custom formula: no duplicates; no weekend dates (using WEEKDAY); no extra spaces (using TRIM).

An input message tells the user what to type. An error alert answers a bad entry in one of three styles: Stop always refuses it; Warning shows a warning but lets it in; Information shows a message. Choose by how strict the data must be.

A data form (added to the Quick Access Toolbar) shows one record at a time, up to 32 columns, to add, find, change or delete records.