An earlier blog outlined the value of the Excel Fill Handle in financial modelling across integer, date and other cell inputs. The Excel Fill Handle can increase accuracy, efficiency and speed of the input of a data series.

The Excel Fill Handle is quite clearly a tool to enhance the corporate governance of a company’s spreadsheets, in terms of executive management to better “control and monitor the financial performance of the company”, and improve productivity and effectiveness of mode users to drive “Lean Finance”.

The below financial model example and video outline the Excel Fill Handle’s ability to fill down a variety of data series.

Strategize Financial Modelling – Fill Handle with various Data Series.xls

Data Series Examples – Numbers

The initial selection of two consecutive cells, with say 1 and 2, will be extended down or across the page thanks to the Excel Fill Handle. This was demonstrated with the use of the Excel Fill Handle to fill down the “Transaction No.” in the “Projected Invoice Transactions – 2015” in the above spreadsheet.

Similarly the Excel Fill Handle will successfully fill down the sequential years, if the first two years (2015 and 2016) are selected in the “Forecast Sales Growth – 5-year Strategic Plan” schedule.

Data Series Examples – Dates

The Excel Fill Handle effortlessly fills the days of the week, either by short (Mon) or full form (Monday), by simply selecting one cell (Mon) to fill this data series.

Likewise, the Excel Fill Handle can realise the same fill down effect of months; either in the modified (Jan) or entire form (January). The Excel Fill Handle is undoubtedly a more effective way to input such a series of data.

The above video highlights how the Excel Fill Handle can even fill a month series by quarter, by selecting Jan (or January) and Apr (April); the extended series will be Jul, Oct and so forth.

In some financial models, a concurrent day of the month (i.e. 20-Jan-14, 20-Apr-14 etc) might be required; the Excel Fill Handle will facilitate such an extended series by quarter – 20-Jul-14, 20-Oct-14, 20-Jan-15 and so on.

The Excel Fill Handle will work on staggered months by quarter; selected cells Jan-15, Apr-15 will generate subsequent values of Jul-15, Oct-15, Jan-16 etc.

Data Series Examples – Other Built-In Series

Finally the Excel Fill Handle will perform a series fill on customised inputs such as 1st Meeting or Product 1, which will produce concurrent data series of 2nd Meeting, 3rd Meeting … or Product 2, Product 3 …

The video illustrated how one time cell i.e. 8:00 AM; thanks to the Excel Fill Handle will yield an extended series of 9:00 AM, 10:00 AM and so forth.

Mixed cell formats such as Qtr2 can still be facilitated, courtesy of the Excel Fill Handle, with an extended series of Qtr3, Qtr4, Qtr1 and so – as shown under the “Gold Production Forecast – by Quarter – 2015 & 2016” schedule.