Excellent Uses of Drag and Drop Option in Excel

For example, look at the below image.

Examples to use Drag and Drop in Excel

Example #1 – Copy the Current Cell Value to other Cells

For example, assume you have a certain value in the A1 cell.

  • We must use drag and drop options now. We can fill the same value besides cells as well. Then, place a cursor on the right bottom of the cell.

  • Using this plus icon, we need to drag down to the right to fill the same value to all the dragged cells.

  • After drag and drop, we can see a small icon on the right bottom of the selected cells. Click on this to see available options.

Here, we have three options: “Copy Cells,” “Fill Formatting Only,” and “Fill Without Formatting.” We have dragged and dropped from the active cell to the range A1 to D5, and it has taken everything from the active cell (A1).

But using this option, we can fill only formatting, i.e., without value from an active cell. We can also fill without formatting, i.e., the only value from the active cell without any formatting.

  • Let us see how it looks when selecting “Fill Formatting Only.”

  • Now, see “Fill Without Formatting.”

Example #2 – Fill Serial Numbers

Using this drag and drop, we can also insert serial numbers. For this first, we need to enter at least two consecutive numbers.

We have entered two consecutive serial numbers in cells A1 and A2. Now, select these two cells and place a cursor to the right bottom of the cell to see the drag and drop symbol.

Using this, drag and drop until the row number we want is the serial number. In this case, we have dragged until row 10, so our serial numbers will be from 1 to 10.

The first thing we did was we had entered two consecutive serial numbers,  1 and 2. Using this sample, Excel identifies the increment number from one cell to another. In this case, the increment number is by 1, so every time we drag the value to the next new cell, it will increment the value by 1. Since we have dragged until the 10th row, it has incremented the value by ten times from the first cell value, 1.

For example, look at the below image now.

We have entered 1 and 3 in the first two cells. We will drag and drop until the 10th row and see what happens.

We did not get consecutive serial numbers. Instead, we got all the odd numbers from 1 to 19. That is because, in the first two cells, our values are 1 and 3. However, from the first cell to the second cell, the value is incremented by 2, so when we use drag and drop, Excel identifies the pattern as it has to increment by 2 every time it goes to the new cell.

Example #3 – Insert Serial Numbers Without Pattern

We can also insert serial numbers without entering two consecutive numbers. Instead, just enter 1 in any of the cells.

Now drag and drop until the 10th row.

Now, click on the “AutoFill” options box.

We must choose the “Fill Series” option to get serial numbers incremented by 1.

So, we got serial numbers which are incremented by 1.

Example #4 – Fill to All Below Cell Once

We can fill the formula from one cell to all the below cells using the drag and drop option. For example, look at the below image.

  • To arrive at GP (Gross ProfitGross ProfitGross Profit shows the earnings of the business entity from its core business activity i.e. the profit of the company that is arrived after deducting all the direct expenses like raw material cost, labor cost, etc. from the direct income generated from the sale of its goods and services.read more), we need to enter the formula as Sales – COGS.

  • We usually copy the formula from one cell and paste it to the below cells but this time, place a cursor to the right bottom of the formula cell, the D2 cell.

  • When we see the “Drag & Drop” option, we need to double click to apply the formula to the below cells.

Things to Remember

  • Drag and Drop are often called a fill handleFill HandleThe fill handle in Excel allows you to avoid copying and pasting each value into cells and instead use patterns to fill out the information. This tiny cross is a versatile tool in the Excel suite that can be used for data entry, data transformation, and many other applications.read more.The drag and drop is the alternative available to the copy and paste method.We can drag and drop to a single row and a single column at a time.

This article is a guide to Drag and Drop in Excel. Here, we learn some excellent uses of the Excel drag and drop option, also known as “Fill Handle,” along with some practical examples and a downloadable Excel template. You may learn more about Excel from the following articles: –

  • Auditing Tools in ExcelFill Down in ExcelExcel AutoFillExcel Flash FillHistogram Formula