Excel columns have numbers not letters

Columns and rows are labeled numerically in Excel

Symptoms

Your column labels are numeric rather than alphabetic. For example, instead of seeing A, B, and C at the top of your worksheet columns, you see 1, 2, 3, and so on.

Cause

This behavior occurs when the R1C1 reference style check box is selected in the Options dialog box.

Resolution

To change this behavior, follow these steps:

1. Start Microsoft Excel.
2. On the Tools menu, click Options.
3. Click the Formulas tab.
4. Under Working with formulas, click to clear the R1C1 reference style check box (upper-left corner), and then click OK.

If you select the R1C1 reference style check box, Excel changes the reference style of both row and column headings, and cell references from the A1 style to the R1C1 style.

More information

A1 Reference Style vs. R1C1 Reference Style

The A1 Reference Style

By default, Excel uses the A1 reference style, which refers to columns as letters (A through IV, for a total of 256 columns), and refers to rows as numbers (1 through 65,536). These letters and numbers are called row and column headings. To refer to a cell, type the column letter followed by the row number. For example, D50 refers to the cell at the intersection of column D and row 50. To refer to a range of cells, type the reference for the cell that is in the upper-left corner of the range, type a colon (:), and then type the reference to the cell that is in the lower-right corner of the range.

The R1C1 Reference Style

Excel can also use the R1C1 reference style, in which both the rows and the columns on the worksheet are numbered. The R1C1 reference style is useful if you want to compute row and column positions in macros. In the R1C1 style, Excel indicates the location of a cell with an «R» followed by a row number and a «C» followed by a column number.

References

For more information about this topic, click Microsoft Excel Help on the Help menu, type about cell and range references in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topic.

Источник

Automatically number rows

Unlike other Microsoft 365 programs, Excel does not provide a button to number data automatically. But, you can easily add sequential numbers to rows of data by dragging the fill handle to fill a column with a series of numbers or by using the ROW function.

Tip: If you are looking for a more advanced auto-numbering system for your data, and Access is installed on your computer, you can import the Excel data to an Access database. In an Access database, you can create a field that automatically generates a unique number when you enter a new record in a table.

What do you want to do?

Fill a column with a series of numbers

Select the first cell in the range that you want to fill.

Type the starting value for the series.

Type a value in the next cell to establish a pattern.

Tip: For example, if you want the series 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. type 1 and 2 in the first two cells. If you want the series 2, 4, 6, 8. type 2 and 4.

Select the cells that contain the starting values.

Note: In Excel 2013 and later, the Quick Analysis button is displayed by default when you select more than one cell containing data. You can ignore the button to complete this procedure.

Drag the fill handle across the range that you want to fill.

Note: As you drag the fill handle across each cell, Excel displays a preview of the value. If you want a different pattern, drag the fill handle by holding down the right-click button, and then choose a pattern.

To fill in increasing order, drag down or to the right. To fill in decreasing order, drag up or to the left.

Tip: If you do not see the fill handle, you may have to display it first. For more information, see Display or hide the fill handle.

Note: These numbers are not automatically updated when you add, move, or remove rows. You can manually update the sequential numbering by selecting two numbers that are in the right sequence, and then dragging the fill handle to the end of the numbered range.

Use the ROW function to number rows

In the first cell of the range that you want to number, type =ROW(A1).

The ROW function returns the number of the row that you reference. For example, =ROW(A1) returns the number 1.

Drag the fill handle across the range that you want to fill.

Tip: If you do not see the fill handle, you may have to display it first. For more information, see Display or hide the fill handle.

These numbers are updated when you sort them with your data. The sequence may be interrupted if you add, move, or delete rows. You can manually update the numbering by selecting two numbers that are in the right sequence, and then dragging the fill handle to the end of the numbered range.

If you are using the ROW function, and you want the numbers to be inserted automatically as you add new rows of data, turn that range of data into an Excel table. All rows that are added at the end of the table are numbered in sequence. For more information, see Create or delete an Excel table in a worksheet.

To enter specific sequential number codes, such as purchase order numbers, you can use the ROW function together with the TEXT function. For example, to start a numbered list by using 000-001, you enter the formula =TEXT(ROW(A1),»000-000″) in the first cell of the range that you want to number, and then drag the fill handle to the end of the range.

Display or hide the fill handle

The fill handle displays by default, but you can turn it on or off.

In Excel 2010 and later, click the File tab, and then click Options.

In Excel 2007, click the Microsoft Office Button , and then click Excel Options.

In the Advanced category, under Editing options, select or clear the Enable fill handle and cell drag-and-drop check box to display or hide the fill handle.

Note: To help prevent replacing existing data when you drag the fill handle, ensure the Alert before overwriting cells check box is selected. If you do not want Excel to display a message about overwriting cells, you can clear this check box.

Источник

Столбцы и строки помечены как число в Excel

Симптомы

Метки столбцов представлены в виде чисел, а не букв. Например, вместо просмотра столбцов A, B и C в верхней части таблицы отобразятся цифры 1, 2, 3 и так далее.

Причина

Подобная ситуация возникает в том случае, если установлен флажок Стиль ссылок R1C1 в диалоговом окне «Параметры».

Решение

Чтобы изменить эту ситуацию, выполните указанные ниже действия:

1. Запустите Microsoft Excel.
2. В меню Сервис щелкните пункт Параметры.
3. Откройте вкладку Формулы.
4. В разделе Работа с формулами щелкните, чтобы снять флажок Стиль ссылок R1C1 (верхний левый угол), затем нажмите кнопку ОК.

При установке флажка Стиль ссылок R1C1 Excel изменяет стиль ссылок заголовков строк и столбцов, а ссылки на ячейки из стиля A1 изменяются в стиль R1C1.

Дополнительные сведения

Стиль ссылок A1 и стиль ссылок R1C1

Стиль ссылки A1

По умолчанию в Excel используется стиль ссылки A1, который ссылается на столбцы в виде букв (от A до IV, всего 256 столбцов) и строки в виде чисел (от 1 до 65 536). Эти буквы и числа называются заголовками строк и столбцов. Чтобы создать ссылку на ячейку, введите букву столбца и следующий за ней номер строки. Например, D50 относится к ячейке на пересечении столбца D и строки 50. Чтобы создать ссылку на диапазон ячеек, введите ссылку для ячейки, которая находится в верхнем левом углу диапазона, введите двоеточие (:), а затем введите ссылку на ячейку, которая находится в нижнем правом углу диапазона.

Стиль ссылки R1C1

Excel также может использовать стиль ссылок R1C1, в котором строки и столбцы представлены в виде чисел на рабочем листе. Стиль ссылок R1C1 полезен для вычисления позиций строк и столбцов в макросах. В стиле R1C1 Excel указывает расположение ячейки с «R», за которой следует номер строки, и «C», за которой следует номер столбца.

Ссылки

Чтобы получить дополнительные сведения по этой теме, нажмите Справка Microsoft Excel в меню Справка, введите запрос «ячейка» и «ссылки на диапазоны» в помощнике или мастере ответов, затем нажмите Поиск для просмотра темы.

Источник

How to number columns in Excel and convert column letter to number

by Svetlana Cheusheva, updated on March 9, 2023

The tutorial talks about how to return a column number in Excel using formulas and how to number columns automatically.

Last week, we discussed the most effective formulas to change column number to alphabet. If you have an opposite task to perform, below are the best techniques to convert a column name to number.

How to return column number in Excel

To convert a column letter to column number in Excel, you can use this generic formula:

For example, to get the number of column F, the formula is:

And here’s how you can identify column numbers by letters input in predefined cells (A2 through A7 in our case):

Enter the above formula in B2, drag it down to the other cells in the column, and you will get this result:

How this formula works:

First, you construct a text string representing a cell reference. For this, you concatenate a letter and number 1. Then, you hand off the string to the INDIRECT function to convert it into an actual Excel reference. Finally, you pass the reference to the COLUMN function to get the column number.

How to convert column letter to number (non-volatile formula)

Being a volatile function, INDIRECT can significantly slow down your Excel if used broadly in a workbook. To avoid this, you can identify the column number using a slightly more complex non-volatile alternative:

This works perfectly in dynamic array Excel (365 and 2021). In older version, you need to enter it as an array formula (Ctrl + Shift + Enter) to get it to work.

=MATCH(A2&»1″, ADDRESS(1, COLUMN($1:$1), 4), 0)

Or you can use this non-array formula in all Excel versions:

=MATCH(A2&»1″, INDEX(ADDRESS(1, INDEX(COLUMN($1:$1), ), 4), ), 0)

How this formula works:

First off, you concatenate the letter in A2 and the row number «1» to construct a standard «A1» style reference. In this example, we have letter «A» in A2, so the resulting string is «A1».

Next, you get an array of strings representing all cell addresses in the first row, from «A1» to «XFD1». For this, you use the COLUMN($1:$1) function, which generates a sequence of column numbers, and pass that array to the column_num argument of the ADDRESS function:

Given that row_num (1st argument) is set to 1 and abs_num (3rd argument) is set to 4 (meaning you want a relative reference), the ADDRESS function delivers this array:

Finally, you build a MATCH formula that searches for the concatenated string in the above array and returns the position of the found value, which corresponds to the column number you are looking for:

Change column letter to number using a custom function

«Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication,» stated the great artist and scientist Leonardo da Vinci. To get a column number from a letter in an easy way, you can create your own custom function.

Fully in line with the above principle, the function’s code is as simple as it can possibly be:

Insert the code in your VBA editor as explained here, and your new function named ColumnNumber is ready for use.

The function requires just one argument, col_letter, which is the column letter to be converted into a number:

Your real formula can be as follows:

If you compare the results returned by our custom function and Excel’s native ones, you will make sure they are exactly the same:

Return column number of a specific cell

To get a column number of a particular cell, simply use the COLUMN function:

For instance, to identify the column number of cell B3, the formula is:

Obviously, the result is 2.

Get column letter of the current cell

To find out a column number of the current cell, use the COLUMN() function with an empty argument, so it refers to the cell where the formula is:

=COLUMN()

How to show column numbers in Excel

By default, Excel uses the A1 reference style and labels column headings with letters and rows with numbers. To get columns labeled with numbers, change the default reference style from A1 to R1C1. Here’s how:

1. In your Excel, click File >Options.
2. In the Excel Options dialog box, select Formulas in the left pane.
3. Under Working with formulas, check the R1C1 reference style box, and click OK.
   

The column labels will immediately change from letters to numbers:

Please note that selecting this option will not only change column labels — cell addresses will also change from A1 to R1C1 references, where R means «row» and C means «column». For example, R1C1 refers to the cell in row 1 column 1, which corresponds to the A1 reference. R2C3 refers to the cell in row 2 column 3, which corresponds to the C2 reference.

In existing formulas, cell references will update automatically, while in new formulas you will have to use the R1C1 reference style.

Tip. To revert back to A1 style, uncheck the R1C1 reference style check box in Excel Options.

How to number columns in Excel

If you are not used to the R1C1 reference style and want to keep A1 references in your formulas, then you can insert numbers in the first row of our worksheet, so you have both — column letters and numbers. This can be easily done with the help of the Auto Fill feature.

Here are the detailed steps:

1. In A1, type number 1.
2. In B1, type number 2.
3. Select cells A1 and B1.
4. Hover the cursor over a small square in the lower right corner of cell B1, which is called the Fill handle. As you do this, the cursor will change to a thick black cross.
5. Drag the fill handle to the right up to the column you need.

As a result, you will retain the column labels as letters, and underneath the letters you will have the column numbers.

Tip. To keep the columns numbers in view while scrolling to the below areas of the worksheet, you can freeze top row.

That’s how to return column numbers in Excel. I thank you for reading and look forward to seeing you on our blog next week!

Источник