Filling Cells

• Cells can be filled with just about any content. You can type in letters, numbers or formulas. Excel can automatically format that cell and those below it to expect information of that type. For example, you could make a series of dates in column A and tally money spent in column B. You could type in words like addresses or names to make a list in column C.
  
  To quickly fill a bunch of cells with information, there are a few options. You can fill lower cells with the same information by selecting the cell with information, then hold "Shift" and clicking the lowest cell you want to fill, then press "Ctrl and D" at the same time. If you have a pattern of information, such as a list of months (type "January" into one cell, press "Enter" and type "February" into the next), Click and drag around both cells, then click the small black handle on the lower-right and drag that down to fill the lower cells.
  
  

Blank Cells and Formulas

• Excel formulas will update automatically using data typed into blank cells. For a more clear example of this, open a new blank workbook, select cell B1 and type the following equation: =(A1*2) . Now, type a number into cell A1. The number in B2 will be the double that of the number you just typed. Erase the number in cell A1, and the number in B2 will return to zero.
  
  If you're using a formula and trying to make it return a blank cell if a certain criteria is met, you'll need to familiarize yourself with the =IF function. You'll need a logical test, and the results you want if it's positive or negative. Copy the following formula into cell B1: =IF(A1>0," ", "Negative"). Move to cell A1 and type a few positive and negative numbers, and the other cell will either stay blank or change to say "Negative" depending on whether it's greater than zero.
  
  

Troubleshooting

• If a cell is blank but shouldn't be, the first thing to try is opening the "Edit" menu and clicking "Undo" (or pressing "Ctrl" and "Z"). If your cell was cleared recently, it may re-populate with the missing information. If not, there may be another problem. Click and highlight the cell. Check the input field at the top of the screen to see whether there is any information in that cell. If there is, check the formula and the formatting. Look at the formula to figure out whether or not it should be returning a blank cell and edit the formula if necessary. If not, try changing the color of the font or cell background using the buttons on your ribbon or toolbar.