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This article describes the RPA Excel functionality to fill a column with sequential numbers or dates.
For a full list of available functions, please read EXCEL functions.
Description
The Fill sequence function populates a column with sequential values. You specify the starting value, the step (increment), and whether to generate numbers or dates. Each row gets the next value in the sequence.
Examples
| Start | Step | Type | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Number | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, … |
| 100 | 10 | Number | 100, 110, 120, 130, … |
| 2025-01-01 | 7 | Date | 2025-01-01, 2025-01-08, 2025-01-15, … |
Setting it up
To use the Fill sequence function, follow these instructions:
{{popups:rpas/add:action=excel-fill-sequence}}
Once on a process map:
- Navigate to the process where you would like to add the function
- Click on the green button’s drop-down
- Click on “+ Activity”
- Select the EXCEL Fill sequence option
- Click "Add" once you are done
Input parameters
| Parameter | Required | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Column | Yes | Text | - | The name of the column to fill with sequential values |
| Start value | No | Text | 1 | The first value in the sequence. For dates, use a date string like 2025-01-01. |
| Step | No | Text | 1 | The increment between values. For dates, this is the number of days. |
| Type | No | Select | Number | Whether to generate numbers or dates |
Output
This function does not return a value. It modifies the sheet in place.
Tips
- The sequence fills all rows that have data in other columns
- Use negative steps to count down (e.g. start=100, step=-1)
- For dates, the step is in days – use 7 for weekly, 30 for monthly