Flash Fill in Excel is a smart tool that automatically fills or transforms data by detecting patterns from your input. It eliminates the need for complex formulas, allowing you to quickly combine, split, or format data across a dataset.
Example: Suppose you have a dataset with shop names and shop numbers or email addresses. Flash Fill can help you extract first names, last names, or combine columns effortlessly.
Accessing Flash Fill in Excel Fill
Go to the Data tab in our worksheet, and we will find an option called Flash Fill.
Use of Excel Flash Fill
There can be many ways to use Excel flash fill. Here listed are the three common ways to use Excel flash fill. So let us consider a data set with Email. Now we use Flash Fill to fill in the First name and Last name of the given data. Consider the same data set for all methods.
Method 1: Using Excel Flash Fill Option
To use Excel flash Fill follow the following steps:
Step 1: Enter the desired value in the first cell of the column.
Step 2: Click inside any cell of the table. Then click on the Data tab and then click on Flash Fill, the entire First Name column will be filled.
Similarly, fill the data in the Last Name Column using the Flash Fill method.
Method 2: Flash Fill Using Ctrl + E
We can also use the shortcut key Ctrl + E to use Excel Flash Fill option. To do so follow the following steps:
Step 1: Enter the value in the first cell of the column.
Step 2: Now press Ctrl + E on our Keyboard and the entire column get auto-complete.
Similarly, fill the data in LastName Column using the shortcut key.
Method 3: Flash Fill Using the Faded list
We can also add data in the columns using Faded List. To do so follow the following steps:
Step 1: Go to column First Name and start filling the First Name until a Faded list appears.
Step 2: After the Faded list appears. If we find the Faded list suitable then press Enter.
Repeat the same process for other columns, such as Last Name or Middle Name. Flash Fill automatically adapts to detect the pattern.