Index Rows - Idiot Proof Your Sheets!

Jeremy Myers

What to do when some fool decides to <sort> a sheet just to see what happens?  

 

When creating a master sheet, inset a hidden column "Z_Row_Index.  Enter "1" in the first cell and then "2" in the cell below.  Highlight those two cells and drag the little widget at the bottom right of the lower cell.  This will drag-fill the line numbers downward.  If you change the master sheet (add, reorder or delete lines), of course you will need to renumber, but a small price to pay, IMHO.

If you need to restore order, just sort on the hidden column.  Ta da! 

 

Note:  Do not be tempted to use the <autonumber> function, it assigns a static number to the row and if you elide or add rows later, your numbering is out of sequence, which is useless.

 

 

 

 

Shaine Greenwood

Great tip, Jeremy!

Jessica Perkins

When I click and drag down I'm getting all 1's.  What am I doing wrong? 

J. Craig Williams

You need to select both the 1 and 2 and then click-drag.

In the lower right corner of the selected area, there is a little square. That's what you need to grab and drag.

 

Jeremy's speech bubble is pointing to it.

 

Craig

 

J. Craig Williams

Jeremy,

 

In my experience, the idiots are really really smart about finding new ways to screw things up. 

I should know, I'm one of them.

 

Craig