Can I use AutoFill or a formula to fill a series of letters?

I am looking to fill a series of increasing letters for example:

aaa
aab
aac
...
...
aaz
aba
abb

Hi there,

You can do this with some formulas. I'll assume you have this in A1 "aaa".
Enter this formula in A2 and copy down as needed ...

=IF(LEFT(A1,1)=122,CHAR(B1+1),CHAR(B1))&IF(MID(A1,2,1)=97,CHAR(C1+1),CHAR(C1))&IF(RIGHT(A1,1)=122,CHAR(97),CHAR(D1+1))

--
Regards,
Zack Barresse, aka firefytr



"tadpgk835" <tadpgk835@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:6EC42423-AA5B-40D0-ABB7-2A156AFEC187@microsoft.com...
>I am looking to fill a series of increasing letters for example:
>
> aaa
> aab
> aac
> ..
> ..
> aaz
> aba
> abb
>

Sorry, formula is wrong. Gives skewed results.

With three blank columns to your data's right, in B1:D1 enter 97 in each
cell. Then in A2 enter:

=CHAR(B2)&CHAR(C2)&CHAR(D2)

In B2 enter:

=IF(C2=122,B1+1,B1)

In C2 enter:

=IF(D2=97,C1+1,C1)

In D2 enter:

=IF(D1=122,97,D1+1)

Copy all down as needed. Hide columns B:D if desired. Sorry for any
confusion again.

--
Regards,
Zack Barresse, aka firefytr


"zackb" <zackb@portofmorrow.com> wrote in message
news:uAm$qF4SFHA.2128@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
> Hi there,
>
> You can do this with some formulas. I'll assume you have this in A1
> "aaa".
> Enter this formula in A2 and copy down as needed ...
>
> =IF(LEFT(A1,1)=122,CHAR(B1+1),CHAR(B1))&IF(MID(A1,2,1)=97,CHAR(C1+1),CHAR(C1))&IF(RIGHT(A1,1)=122,CHAR(97),CHAR(D1+1))
>
> --
> Regards,
> Zack Barresse, aka firefytr
>
>
>
> "tadpgk835" <tadpgk835@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:6EC42423-AA5B-40D0-ABB7-2A156AFEC187@microsoft.com...
>>I am looking to fill a series of increasing letters for example:
>>
>> aaa
>> aab
>> aac
>> ..
>> ..
>> aaz
>> aba
>> abb
>>
>
>

Thanks for your help, however the formula eventually starts to return symbols
as well as letters. I need to just see letters and also the ability to
choose the number of letters to start with is also important. (3 a's or 6
a's, etc...)

"zackb" wrote:

> Sorry, formula is wrong. Gives skewed results.
>
> With three blank columns to your data's right, in B1:D1 enter 97 in each
> cell. Then in A2 enter:
>
> =CHAR(B2)&CHAR(C2)&CHAR(D2)
>
> In B2 enter:
>
> =IF(C2=122,B1+1,B1)
>
> In C2 enter:
>
> =IF(D2=97,C1+1,C1)
>
> In D2 enter:
>
> =IF(D1=122,97,D1+1)
>
> Copy all down as needed. Hide columns B:D if desired. Sorry for any
> confusion again.
>
> --
> Regards,
> Zack Barresse, aka firefytr
>
>
> "zackb" <zackb@portofmorrow.com> wrote in message
> news:uAm$qF4SFHA.2128@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
> > Hi there,
> >
> > You can do this with some formulas. I'll assume you have this in A1
> > "aaa".
> > Enter this formula in A2 and copy down as needed ...
> >
> > =IF(LEFT(A1,1)=122,CHAR(B1+1),CHAR(B1))&IF(MID(A1,2,1)=97,CHAR(C1+1),CHAR(C1))&IF(RIGHT(A1,1)=122,CHAR(97),CHAR(D1+1))
> >
> > --
> > Regards,
> > Zack Barresse, aka firefytr
> >
> >
> >
> > "tadpgk835" <tadpgk835@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > news:6EC42423-AA5B-40D0-ABB7-2A156AFEC187@microsoft.com...
> >>I am looking to fill a series of increasing letters for example:
> >>
> >> aaa
> >> aab
> >> aac
> >> ..
> >> ..
> >> aaz
> >> aba
> >> abb
> >>
> >
> >
>
>
>