Quick Data Entry Shortcuts

Ctrl + Enter (Win) or control + return (Mac) fills every selected cell with whatever you just typed — simultaneously.

The workflow:

Suppose you're adding a new Status column and every row in the current dataset should be marked Confirmed. Instead of typing it 50 times:

1. Select G2:G51;
2. Type Confirmed;
3. Press Ctrl + Enter/control + return.

All 50 cells fill instantly.

Entering the Same Value in Non-Contiguous Cells

Sometimes the cells you need to fill aren't next to each other. Ctrl + Enter handles this elegantly:

1. Hold Ctrl/Cmd and click each cell you want to fill (or Ctrl + Click/Cmd + Click to select non-adjacent ranges);
2. Type the value;
3. Press Ctrl + Enter/control + return.

All selected cells — regardless of where they are on the sheet — receive the same value simultaneously.

AutoComplete

As you type in a column that already has data, Excel suggests completions based on existing values. This is AutoComplete — distinct from Autofill.

If column B already contains Laptop, Mouse, Keyboard, etc. and you start typing La in a new row, Excel immediately suggests Laptop. Press Tab to accept and move right — no need to finish typing the word.

Fill non-contiguous cells

1. Add a new column titled Status and fill it with Confirmed if you didn't complete it in the theory part.
2. Hold Ctrl/Cmd and click cells K5, K15, and K35.
3. Type Pending and press Ctrl + Enter / control + return.
4. Confirm only those three cells changed — the rest remain Confirmed.