Auto fills formula automatically

[Larry Sartoris]

Hello support,

I ran into this feature a while ago but I haven't figured out how it works,
or what conditions mke it work.

I have 2 columns of cells that I manually enter numbers into and the third
column is a calculation of the first two. After manually filling the third
cell in with the formula a few times, it began to fill in the formula
automatically by just filling in the first 2 cells. This seems like a great
feature but it works only some of the time, and not for all of my formulas.
I couldn't figure out what I'm chaning or what option needs to be checked for
this to work.

Any help would be appreciated. Hopefully I explained my question
effectively, if not please ask for additional information.

Thanks!
larry

 

[bj]

from Excel help 2003
"Extend formats and formulas to additional rows
By default, Microsoft Excel automatically formats new data that you type at
the end of a range to match the preceding rows. Excel also automatically
copies formulas that have been repeated in the preceding rows and extends
them to additional rows.

Note In order to be extended to new rows in the range, the formats and
formulas must appear in at least three of the five preceding rows.

You can turn this option off (or back on again) at any time:

On the Tools menu, click Options.
On the Edit tab, clear the Extend data range formats and formulas check box
to turn automatic formatting off.
To turn automatic formatting back on again, select the Extend data range
formats and formulas check box."

if you change the formulas they must restart the three out of five
if you drop a couple of lines you will loose the copy