Autofill not recognizing pattern

Hi

I have a bunch of codes that need the last digit changing but auto fill is not recognizing the change.

For example
09WWB2LIDSR
09WWB2LIDSS
09WWB2LIDST
09WWB2LIDSU
09WWB2LIDSV
09WWB2LIDSW
09WWB2LIDSX
09WWB2LIDSY
09WWB2LIDSZ

Only the last letter is changing but when I try and pull down from the first three it just repeats them...

Help would be much appreciated!

Autofill works by incrementing digits (numbers), not letters. You can put this in your first cell:

="09WWB2LIDS"&CHAR(81+ROWS($1:1))

then copy down for another 8 rows. (Then maybe fix the values).

Hope this helps.

Pete

Hi Pete

That's great

Could you explain what this part of the code means (81+ROWS($1:1)

Thanks

Will

Well, it's part of CHAR(81+ROWS($1:1)), where the CHAR function returns a character whose code is given in brackets. The term ROWS($1:1) initially returns 1, but when the formula is copied down it becomes ROWS($1:2) which returns 2, then ROWS($1:3) which returns 3, and so on. This means that the character given by code 82 (R) is added on to the other string in the first cell, then when the formula is copied down it becomes CHAR(83) (S) which is added on, then CHAR(84) (T), and so on.

Hope this helps.

Pete

P.S. If that takes care of your original question, please select Thread Tools from the menu above your first post and mark this thread as SOLVED.

Also, since you are relatively new to the forum, I would like to inform you that you can directly thank those who have helped you by clicking on the small "star" icon located in the lower left corner of a post that you have found to be helpful (not just in this thread - for any post that has helped you). This also adds to the reputation of the poster (the small green bars in the poster's profile).

Pete