Continuing a Series with the Fill Handle

The fill handle can also continue a sequence. It works for ordered data, like numbers (1, 2, 3) or days (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday). To use this feature:

1. Select multiple cells: Highlight the cells that show the series you want to continue. This helps Excel recognize the pattern. For example, select E4 to G4.
   
   
   
2. Drag the fill handle: Click and drag the fill handle to extend the series to the desired cells.
3. Release the mouse: If Excel recognizes the sequence, it will continue it in the selected cells. For example, Excel might add Part 4, Part 5, and Part 6 to cells H4 to J4.
   
   
   

Shortcut Tip:

You can double-click the fill handle instead of dragging it. This is useful for large spreadsheets where dragging may be difficult.

The fill handle is a simple but powerful tool to save time and effort when working with data in Excel.