# Microsoft Office Application Help - Excel Help forum > Excel General >  > [SOLVED] Fill Series not working

## pschristmas

I'm working in Excel 2013. Since Monday morning, I've begun having a problem with the fill series function. No matter what I do - holding down shift or control keys while dragging, just dragging using fill handle - I can't get the numbers in a column to advance. The program just copies the same number into each cell. If I want to advance the numbers, I have to type in each number by hand, which can get time-consuming. Also, while last week dragging with the fill handle resulted in an Autofill box, this week all I get is the Quick Analysis tool box. I've tried restarting the program, turning off QA, and turning the Enable Fill Handle off and back on. None were successful. Has anyone else had this issue? If so, how did you fix it?

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## Special-K

Sounds like the value in the cell is text not a number.

Create a new blank sheet. Type 1 into a blank cell.
Hold down Ctrl and when the bottom right of the cell turns to a black cross drag it down. The numbers should increase by one.

Now use the same process on your data.
If it copies the same cell then the value is text.

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## pschristmas

No, the column in question was formatted for numbers, not text. My ding-bat mistake was that I had forgotten that I had filtered the worksheet on another column.  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):  

Thanks for answering.

Regards,

Pschristmas

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## bsacheri

I just had to troubleshoot this issue and found a solution that may work for you.

If sheet you are experiencing the issue on *currently has a filter applied*, you won't be able to use the Fill Series feature.  It will only copy the top value down.

I don't have enough reputation on this site to post a link to the site I credit for the answer, but you can Google: repairmsexcel resolve-excel-fill-handle-not-working-issue

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## Chirashi

> I just had to troubleshoot this issue and found a solution that may work for you.
> 
> If sheet you are experiencing the issue on *currently has a filter applied*, you won't be able to use the Fill Series feature.  It will only copy the top value down.
> 
> I don't have enough reputation on this site to post a link to the site I credit for the answer, but you can Google: repairmsexcel resolve-excel-fill-handle-not-working-issue



THANK YOU! This is what caused the numbers not to auto fill series, its the bloody *FILTER*.

So in order to enable or re-enable autofill series or numbers by clicking on the bottom corner right of the cell and dragging it down/across, remove whatever filter there is at the top of its table.

Otherwise you might keep getting stuck with a Quick Analysis pop up option which wont help the autofill even if you remove it from options.

Once again, thank you bsacheri!

 :Smilie:

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## BobWGABIAB

> No, the column in question was formatted for numbers, not text. My ding-bat mistake was that I had forgotten that I had filtered the worksheet on another column.




I have made this mistake at least twice. I ended up finding this thread, and forum, via a google search. Thanks for the help. Hopefully I will be able to help someone else.

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## FDibbins

Bob, thanks for the feedback  :Smilie:

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## rodwhiteley

One other reason this might be happening is if you have Calculation Options set to "Manual" (Formulas -> Calculation Options -> Automatic |Automatic except for Data tables |Manual)
I've just found it's accidentally possible to turn this to Manual from the default Automatic by hitting Alt - M - X - M, and I was tearing what little remains of my hair out retyping formulae to get them to work.
Hope this helps someone else save some hair.

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