Technology

How to Number a Non-Consecutive List in Excel in Simple Steps

If you don't know how to number non-continuous rows in Excel, you may spend a lot of time figuring it out, and the spreadsheet still won't display as expected. This article from FPT Shop will show you the simple steps to perform this operation, meeting different purposes when using Excel.

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21 April, 2024

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Non-sequential numbering in Excel can be a bit tricky, but it’s not as complicated as it seems. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to number rows in Excel with gaps:

When to Use Non-Sequential Numbering in Excel

There are several situations when you might want to number rows in Excel with gaps:

When you want to group data into separate sections or categories and number each group independently.
When you’ve applied a filter to your Excel spreadsheet and only want to number the rows of data that are visible after the filter has been applied.
When you want to number rows based on a specific condition, such as numbering the rows that have a value in a certain column.
When you need to copy or paste data from an Excel spreadsheet into other applications or documents and want to preserve the state of the data, including the non-sequential numbering.

In these cases, not knowing how to number rows in Excel with gaps can waste a lot of time and effort, and it can also affect the progress of your work.

How to Number Rows in Excel with Gaps

Steps

Here are the detailed steps on how to number rows in Excel with gaps, as summarized by FPT Shop:

Step 1: Click on the column where you want to add the sequential numbers → Press the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + G to open the Go To dialog box → In the Go To dialog box, select the Special tab.

Step 2: In the Special dialog box, select Blanks to select all the blank cells in the column → Click OK to confirm the selection of the blank cells.

Step 3: Enter the formula =N(A2) + 1 into the first cell of the sequence number column.

In this formula, A2 is the cell above the cell where you want to start entering the sequence numbers.

Step 4: Press the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Enter to apply the formula to all the blank cells in the column.

This will automatically number the rows in Excel quickly and efficiently.

Notes

When you’re trying to number rows in Excel with gaps, it’s important to keep the following things in mind:

Identify the exact column where you want to place the sequence numbers. Make sure this column doesn’t contain any important data or is already being used for another purpose.
Determine the exact cell where you want to start the sequence numbering, which can be the first blank cell or a cell that contains data.
Use the correct formula as suggested by the FPT Shop article (=N(A2) + 1) to number the rows. Here, A2 is the cell above the cell where you want to start numbering the rows.
After entering the formula in the first cell, press Ctrl + Enter to apply the formula to all the cells in the column. This will help you automatically number all the rows.
Be sure to check the results after applying the formula to ensure that the sequence numbers are correct and there are no errors.
If you add or delete data in the spreadsheet, remember to update the sequence numbers by dragging down or using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Enter to reapply the formula.

Frequently asked questions

To number a non-consecutive list in Excel, you can use the ‘ROW’ function in combination with the ‘IF’ function. First, assume your list starts at row 2 and column A. In cell B2, enter the formula =IF(A2=””,””,ROW()-ROW(A$1)). This formula checks if cell A2 is blank, and if not, it subtracts the row number of the first header (A1) from the current row number. Copy this formula down the column for all your list items. The non-consecutive list will now have sequential numbers.

The ROW function in Excel returns the row number of a given cell or range. For example, =ROW(A2) will return 2, as it is the row number of cell A2. This function is particularly useful for creating sequential numbers in a list.

To format the numbers in your non- consecutive list, select the cells with the formulas and right-click, then choose ‘Format Cells’. From the ‘Number’ tab, select ‘Number’ and customize the format to your liking. This will ensure your list numbers are formatted consistently.

Yes, the method described above works even if your list has blank cells. The formula skips over blank cells and continues numbering only the cells with data, creating a non-consecutive list with sequential numbers.

To start the numbering from 0, simply modify the formula in cell B2 to =IF(A2=””,””,ROW()-ROW(A$1)-1). This will subtract an additional 1 from the row calculation, starting the list numbering from 0.