Flash fill - Excel 2013

What is a Flash Fill?

One of the best feature added in Excel 2013, it will fill out data based on an example. Flash Fill typically starts working when it recognizes a pattern in your data, and works best when your data has some consistency. It will save your valuable time.

To see how it works look at below examples.

Example -1: in Column B contains email ids and I want only first name from it. I can use the LEFT function with FIND function [=LEFT (B3, FIND ("_", B3)-1)] but in 2013 by using Flash Fill just type first name for first mail id and click on ‘HOME -->  FILL --> Flash Fill’ or click ‘Ctrl + E’ and see magic, excel automatically extract first names from all email ids.

As demonstrated in above examples just type desired output in first cell and use Flash Fill.

Example -2: Column G contains Full names and I want to take only last name from it. In this case I can use the RIGHT function with the LEN & FIND function [=RIGHT (G3, LEN (A1) -FIND ("_"G3))] but in 2013 by using Flash Fill just type the last name of the first person and click on ‘HOME --> FILL --> Flash Fill’ or press ‘Ctrl + E’ and see magic, excel automatically extract Last names for all.

The result will appear as below.

 

It will fill out all data in same way and in same format used in first cell.

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