Non-sequential numbering in Excel can be a bit tricky, but it’s not as complicated as it seems. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to Number rows in Excel with gaps:
When to Use Non-Sequential Numbering in Excel
There are several situations when you might want to Number Rows in Excel with gaps:
- When you want to group data into separate sections or categories and number each group independently.
- When you’ve applied a filter to your Excel spreadsheet and only want to number the rows of data that are visible after the filter has been applied.
- When you want to number rows based on a specific condition, such as numbering the rows that have a value in a certain column.
- When you need to copy or paste data from an Excel spreadsheet into other applications or documents and want to preserve the state of the data, including the non-sequential numbering.
In these cases, not knowing how to number rows in Excel with gaps can waste a lot of time and effort, and it can also affect the progress of your work.
How to Number Rows in Excel with Gaps
Steps
Here are the detailed steps on how to number rows in Excel with gaps, as summarized by FPT Shop:
Step 1: Click on the column where you want to add the sequential numbers → Press the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + G to open the Go To dialog box → In the Go To dialog box, select the Special tab.
Step 2: In the Special dialog box, select Blanks to select all the blank cells in the column → Click OK to confirm the selection of the blank cells.
Step 3: Enter the formula =N(A2) + 1 into the first cell of the sequence number column.
In this formula, A2 is the cell above the cell where you want to start entering the sequence numbers.
Step 4: Press the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Enter to apply the formula to all the blank cells in the column.
This will automatically number the rows in Excel quickly and efficiently.
Notes
When you’re trying to number rows in Excel with gaps, it’s important to keep the following things in mind:
- Identify the exact column where you want to place the sequence numbers. Make sure this column doesn’t contain any important data or is already being used for another purpose.
- Determine the exact cell where you want to start the sequence numbering, which can be the first blank cell or a cell that contains data.
- Use the correct formula as suggested by the FPT Shop article (=N(A2) + 1) to number the rows. Here, A2 is the cell above the cell where you want to start numbering the rows.
- After entering the formula in the first cell, press Ctrl + Enter to apply the formula to all the cells in the column. This will help you automatically number all the rows.
- Be sure to check the results after applying the formula to ensure that the sequence numbers are correct and there are no errors.
- If you add or delete data in the spreadsheet, remember to update the sequence numbers by dragging down or using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Enter to reapply the formula.
Conclusion
The method for numbering rows in Excel with gaps described in the article is fairly simple and not too complicated. Following the notes above will help you make sure that you number rows in Excel with gaps accurately and efficiently, serving various purposes. Find out more about Excel Online.
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See also:
What is the #### error in Excel? A simple guide to resolving Excel error codes
How to use the Merge Cell shortcut in Excel in a flash
The post How to Number a Non-Consecutive List in Excel in Simple Steps appeared first on meo.tips.
