A question from a novice regarding auto recognition of text as I type

[neiloneil]

Hi

My spreadsheet requires me to enter the same text time after time It used to suggest what the word might be, based on previous entries which I needed to click to finish the word or phrase or whatever , but now it does not offer these useful hints.

Can you tell me how to correctly reset the option please?

[worthm]

This will work

Turn on or off automatic completion of cell values

If you don't want Excel to automatically complete cell values, you can turn off this feature.
1.
Click the File tab.

2.
Under Excel, click Options.

3.
Click Advanced, and then under Editing options, clear or select the Enable AutoComplete for cell values check box to turn automatic completion of cell values on or off.

[neiloneil]

It works now, many thanks.

The only trouble is it doesn't suggest anything if blank cells are present between the block of text in the column where the existing text is and the cell I am typing in.

I just tried putting commas in the empty cells and it works as I hoped for.
Is there any problem with filling up the blank cells in the spreadsheet with commas? They do not appear visible either which seems to be a bonus.

[worthm]

I'm not aware of this causing any issues unless you plan to use VB code or macros, etc. It would take some Visual Basic programming to change the way this feature of Excel works

[newdoverman]

If these entries are ones that you use all the time, you could create short forms for those entries and enter them in Excel Options, Proofing, AutoCorrect Options. For example, I use zzzz to create an Omega symbol. As long as your short form is extremely unlikely to show in regular text, enter the short form and give it the value to be replaced with.