drag down a number/letter string?

[atlascanada]

i have this pattern
GRB1F
GRB2F
GRB3F
GRB4F

Is there a way to drag it down so it continues as
GRB5F
GRB6F
?
please help. i have hundreds to do and dont want to do them one by one

 

[billszysz]

A2 is first cell with your number/string(for example)
="GRB"&ROWS($A$2:$A2)&"F"
and copy down.

 

[atlascanada]

awsome! is there a way to start it at say GRB200F ?

 

[Rick Rothstein]

A2 is first cell with your number/string(for example)
="GRB"&ROWS($A$2:$A2)&"F"
and copy down.

I don't see any benefit starting the ROWS reference at A2, A1 will do just fine...

="GRB"&ROWS($A$1:$A1)&"F"

awsome! is there a way to start it at say GRB200F ?

Starting the ROWS reference at A1 should make the formula for what you are now asking for more obvious as well...

="GRB"&ROWS($A$1:$A200)&"F"

 

[BobUmlas]

Why not just ="GRB"&ROW(A200)&"F" and fill down?

--Bob Umlas, Excel MVP

 

[Rick Rothstein]

Why not just ="GRB"&ROW(A200)&"F" and fill down?

ROWS($A1:A200) is more robust against row insertions than ROW(A200) is.

 

[billszysz]

I don't see any benefit starting the ROWS reference at A2

Rick, it was only for sample and to start reference to cell where we start.
To start from 200 i propose this one
="GRB"&ROWS($A$1:$A1)+199&"F"

 

[Rick Rothstein]

Rick, it was only for sample and to start reference to cell where we start.
To start from 200 i propose this one
="GRB"&ROWS($A$1:$A1)+199&"F"

Why not use ROWS(A$1:A200) like I proposed and save Excel from having to do the repeated additions in each cell the formula is copied to?

 

[billszysz]

Why not use ROWS(A$1:A200) like I proposed and save Excel from having to do the repeated additions in each cell the formula is copied to?

Your method is 0,0003 sec faster (for 1000 cells with formula) but my is also for cases where we have empty cells (or cells with sum or something else) and we want continuous counting after these cells ( simple minus 1 after every empty cell - and at the end we get an information about rows without formula)
Sorry Rick, if this explanation is unclear - my english is poor.