Speed Challenge Day 1

Flash Fill

Description

Flash Fill enables you to quickly fill a pattern down. For example, splitting a column, combining columns, or extracting text from a column. It is an easy alternative to writing formulas.

Anna's Quick Win

This Flash Fill video is only 3 minutes. You may be wondering if you can learn anything useful about Excel in such a short time. The answer is yes! In fact, that is one of the things my student Anna loves about Excel University. She said "The best part of Excel University is how quick you can learn and progress through the levels." Learn more about Anna and watch her short video here.

How to activate Flash Fill

  • Windows: Data > Flash Fill (or keyboard shortcut Ctrl E)
  • Mac: Data > Flash Fill (or keyboard shortcut ^ E)

File

If you'd like to give it a try after watching the video, download the Excel file: FlashFill.xlsx.

Try It

Exercise 1

  • Type the First name Cindy into the first row in the First name column and press Enter
  • Data > Flash Fill (or use the keyboard shortcut)
  • Excel detects the pattern and enters the first name for all Full names
  • Type the Last name Waters into the first row in the Last name column and press Enter
  • Data > Flash Fill
  • Excel detects the pattern and enters the last name for all Full names

Exercise 2

  • Type the full address: 190 Main Street, Miami, FL 33143 and press Enter
  • Data > Flash Fill
  • Excel detects the pattern and extends it down

Exercise 3

  • Type the first account 3456 and press Enter
  • Data > Flash Fill
  • Excel detects the pattern and extends it down

Conclusion

Flash Fill can be a nice alternative to writing formulas to split, combine, or extract values from columns of data. And ... we may just revisit this capability in an upcoming Challenge video 🙂