Enable cell-content suggesting?

[Dwade01]

Version: 2008 Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) Processor: Intel Hi there,

In one column Excel refers to the past entries and then uses the letters I type into new cells to give me the option of filling the empty cell with text I have previously entered. This great, but Excel is not offering me this in the rest of the columns. How do I turn on this feature for all of the columns?

Thank you,

 

[CyberTaz]

The feature you're referring to is called AutoComplete. It is a global
workbook setting, not a column-by-column or even a sheet-by-sheet option, so
if it's turned on it's on for all columns of every sheet of the workbook.
There must be something preventing it from operating in the other columns.

The first suspicion is the type of content you're entering in the cells
where it doesn't appear to be working. AutoComplete does not operate if the
column contains Dates, Times, Numbers or other values. Have a look at the
settings in Excel> Preferences> AutoComplete to see how they're set in the
workbook. Also, note the info at the bottom of the AutoComplete dialog as
you point to each of the checkbox items.

If that doesn't resolve it make sure to provide complete Office/OS X update
levels as well as any other pertinent details about the file & its source.

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[Dwade01]

Hi Bob,

You were on the money about AutoComplete being global. It turns out that the problem is not that AutoComplete is not working for certain columns but that it only works when no blank cell interrupts a column full of text.

Do you have any idea how to get it ignore blank cells and continue suggesting the text strings that occur in the same column I am typing in?

Thank you,

 

[CyberTaz]

The only suggestion I can think of is to impose the List Manager on your
data range. The consideration is that at least one cell in each row must
have content in order to add a new record (row) to the list. See if the Help
info on the List Manager sounds like it will work for you.

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac