How to Insert formula in excel and apply to entire column or row

Quick tip to Insert formula in excel and how to apply formula to entire column or row. We can use many methods to create formula in excel. Here I am showing you a very simply method.

Why formula?

We can create excel sheet without formula. You can do calculations manually and you can type in excel sheet. If you use formula, you need not to do calculations manually. Excel automatically does calculations and displays results. So it saves time. You can get more details from microsoft.

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What is column and row?

Before going to see about inserting formula, it is must to know about row and column. For understanding purpose I can say Column is a combination of vertical cells and Row is a combination of horizontal cells. See below screen shot. In excel A,B,C,…. represents Columns and 1,2,3,…. represents Rows. I have selected B3 cell. ‘B3’ means ‘B’ column and 3rd row.

How to Insert formula in excel

I am showing you how to insert subtraction formula. I am going to do “D2=B2-C2”. Here I have entered 45 in B2 cell and 20 in C2 cell. I am going to enter formula in D2.

Select D2 cell.

Type “=’ by using your keyboard. Immediately you can see function symbols above all rows shown as ‘2’ in above screen shot. You can click on arrow mark to see available functions. You need to do nothing with this arrow mark and functions name. I am telling it for observation purpose.

Now select B2 cell by using your mouse. Immediately you will see “=B2” in D2 cell as shown in below screen shot.

• Type “-” using your keyboard(You can type ‘+’ or ‘-‘ or ‘/’ or ‘*’ according to your operation).
• Select C2 cell. You will see “=B2-C2” in D2 cell as shown in below screen shot.

Hit Enter you will see answer in D2 cell as shown in below screen shot.

If you change value in B2 or C2 cell, immediately you will see change in D2 cell value. You have entered formula only in D2 cell. If you write value in B3 and C3 cells, you will not see answer in D3 cell until you apply formula to entire column. It is very easy to apply formula to entire column or row.

How to apply formula to entire column or row

Select D2 cell by using mouse. You will see rectangular black thick box.

Place cursor right bottom corner of rectangular box. You will see cursor symbol changing to ‘+’ symbol shown in below screenshot.

Hold left click of mouse, drag mouse down to end of page. Now you have applied formula to every cell in the column. You need to drag towards right, to apply formula to entire row.

Type any value in B3 and c3 cells, you will see answer in D3 cell. If you select D3 cell, you will see “=B3-C3” near fx. If you select D4, you will see “=B4-C4” near fx.