# Excel Experts, change numbers automatically **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 10, 2014, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-experts-change-numbers-automatically/692739 "2014-07-10T02:50:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TNWPsycho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/47e85d/32.png) [@TNWPsycho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TNWPsycho)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-experts-change-numbers-automatically/692739/1 "2014-07-10T02:50:33Z")
I am working on a database project for a client. They have a pricing list that we need to increase by 10% across the board. Is there a way i can highlight all the prices and increase them all at once without having to change every one of the 2000+ items individually. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![babygoat666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2acd7d/32.png) [@babygoat666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/babygoat666)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-experts-change-numbers-automatically/692739/2 "2014-07-10T03:08:11Z")
Is the list in an Excel sheet, or a database? ---
**Author:** ![TNWPsycho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/47e85d/32.png) [@TNWPsycho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TNWPsycho)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-experts-change-numbers-automatically/692739/3 "2014-07-10T03:11:26Z")
In an excel sheet. it is basically like this: Canned Corn $0.56 Canned Yellow Corn $0.55 Canned White Corn $0.57 What i want to do is just highlight the pricing column and multiply it by 1.1 to add the 10% ---
**Author:** ![babygoat666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2acd7d/32.png) [@babygoat666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/babygoat666)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-experts-change-numbers-automatically/692739/4 "2014-07-10T03:11:28Z")
If in a database, run this: UPDATE [table\_name] SET [price\_field] = [price\_field] \* 1.1 Replace names in brackets, of course. If in Excel, set up a blank column next to the price, and enter “=A2\*1.1” where A2 is the address of the adjacent price cell. Then drag the formula to the bottom of the sheet. ---
**Author:** ![babygoat666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2acd7d/32.png) [@babygoat666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/babygoat666)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-experts-change-numbers-automatically/692739/5 "2014-07-10T03:12:32Z")
Then you can copy all of the cells your formula produced and paste them on top of the original if you’d like. ---
**Author:** ![JWT\_Kottekoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ec8ea/32.png) [@JWT\_Kottekoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JWT_Kottekoe)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-experts-change-numbers-automatically/692739/6 "2014-07-10T03:17:23Z")
You can do this by Copy and Paste: 1. Type 1.1 in an empty cell, then Ctrl+C to copy it to the clipboard 2. Select all the cells you want to modify 3. Do Paste Special -\> Multiply ---
**Author:** ![brickbacon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@brickbacon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brickbacon)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-experts-change-numbers-automatically/692739/7 "2014-07-10T03:22:00Z")
You can create a macro. Press Alt & F11, Select Insert=\>Module. Copy and paste the below code there. Sub Increase() Dim r As Range Dim cell As Range Dim s As String Dim t As String Application.ScreenUpdating = False Set r = Range(“A1:A3000”) s = 1.1 For Each cell In r.Cells cell = cell \* s Next cell End Sub Obviously you can change the range and multiple if you need to. Then go to the view tab=\>macros=\>view macros. Select the macro called “Increase” that you just created. It will multiple everything in the range you selected by 1.1 (adding too the number 10%). ---
**Author:** ![TNWPsycho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/47e85d/32.png) [@TNWPsycho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TNWPsycho)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-experts-change-numbers-automatically/692739/8 "2014-07-10T03:27:56Z")
You guys are amazing thanks! Saved me hours of work! ---
**Author:** ![babygoat666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2acd7d/32.png) [@babygoat666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/babygoat666)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-experts-change-numbers-automatically/692739/9 "2014-07-10T03:30:59Z")
> [@TNWPsycho](#): > > You guys are amazing thanks! > > Saved me hours of work! Anytime you’re looking at hours of repetitive computer tasks, there’s _always_ a better way. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-experts-change-numbers-automatically/692739/10 "2014-07-10T21:36:05Z")
> [@JWT\_Kottekoe](#): > > You can do this by Copy and Paste: > > 1. Type 1.1 in an empty cell, then Ctrl+C to copy it to the clipboard > 2. Select all the cells you want to modify > 3. Do Paste Special -\> Multiply I consider myself a pretty advanced Excel user, but this trick is new to me. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-experts-change-numbers-automatically/692739/11 "2014-07-10T23:23:38Z")
> [@JWT\_Kottekoe](#): > > You can do this by Copy and Paste: > > 1. Type 1.1 in an empty cell, then Ctrl+C to copy it to the clipboard > 2. Select all the cells you want to modify > 3. Do Paste Special -\> Multiply Yes! this is THE answer ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2014, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-experts-change-numbers-automatically/692739/12 "2014-07-11T01:33:08Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > I consider myself a pretty advanced Excel user, but this trick is new to me. Thanks! New to me too, and I teach Excel. I’m adding this to my class topic on Monday. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Stilettos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/fbc32d/32.png) [@Red\_Stilettos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Stilettos)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2014, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-experts-change-numbers-automatically/692739/13 "2014-07-11T01:41:36Z")
> [@JWT\_Kottekoe](#): > > You can do this by Copy and Paste: > > 1. Type 1.1 in an empty cell, then Ctrl+C to copy it to the clipboard > 2. Select all the cells you want to modify > 3. Do Paste Special -\> Multiply Thank you! There have been so many times when I’ve needed this. I knew there had to be a way! ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2014, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-experts-change-numbers-automatically/692739/14 "2014-07-11T05:05:43Z")
> [@JWT\_Kottekoe](#): > > You can do this by Copy and Paste: > > 1. Type 1.1 in an empty cell, then Ctrl+C to copy it to the clipboard > 2. Select all the cells you want to modify > 3. Do Paste Special -\> Multiply I have to use Excel, OpenOffice, LibreOffice and Google Drive and this is also the first time I hear about this. I can confirm that that works also in LibreOffice and OpenOffice Calc, but not in Google Drive Spreadsheet. ---
**Author:** ![ashtayk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@ashtayk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ashtayk)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2014, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-experts-change-numbers-automatically/692739/15 "2014-07-11T19:54:37Z")
This also works beautifully when numbers stored as text need to be converted to numbers. Just use 1 instead of 1.1 ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2014, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-experts-change-numbers-automatically/692739/16 "2014-07-12T04:48:18Z")
Also, I’d urge the OP to take an Excel class at some point. There are about 10 different ways I can think of off the top of my head that would do what he’s looking for, quite easily - and none of them involve hours of work. Spreadsheets are set up for this type of thing. Just from the OP’s description, I’d guess that even simple dragging of a cell to populate cells below/across from it would be new material.