# Microsoft Excel question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 26, 2023, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-excel-question/987631 "2023-07-26T12:03:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2023, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-excel-question/987631/1 "2023-07-26T12:03:19Z")
The first row of an Excel spreadsheet is, by default, labeled “1”. Is there a way – perhaps by making that row a header – of, in effect, labeling that row “0”? I would like the actual first row of my content to be in row number one. Thanks! mmm ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2023, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-excel-question/987631/2 "2023-07-26T12:13:11Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > Is there a way – perhaps by making that row a header – of, in effect, labeling that row “0”? If you really think it’s worth the effort, [**Try this.**](https://www.extendoffice.com/documents/excel/5899-excel-start-row-numbering-at-0.html#a1) ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2023, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-excel-question/987631/3 "2023-07-26T18:18:21Z")
For what purpose? For use in formulas? You could select the entire row, then label it and use that in references. However a number is not a valid reference, you would need to name it something like x0 ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2023, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-excel-question/987631/4 "2023-07-26T18:23:27Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > If you really think it’s worth the effort, [**Try this.**](https://www.extendoffice.com/documents/excel/5899-excel-start-row-numbering-at-0.html#a1) Definitely not worth the effort, but thanks. > [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > For what purpose? I want to track how many calories and carbs I eat daily. I’d like to know I am on day 44 without mentally subtracting 1 from the default column of numbers on the left. Anyway, I just decided to add a new first column and manually number it. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2023, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-excel-question/987631/5 "2023-07-26T19:15:20Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > Anyway, I just decided to add a new first column and manually number it. The simplest solution is almost always the best. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2023, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-excel-question/987631/6 "2023-07-26T19:32:06Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > I want to track how many calories and carbs I eat daily. I’d like to know I am on day 44 without mentally subtracting 1 from the default column of numbers on the left. You could make column A be a sum: ‘DAY (row# -1):’ in bold text. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2023, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-excel-question/987631/7 "2023-07-26T19:37:33Z")
Yeah, I could, but I’ve already manually numbered the rows up to 50. To be honest, that’s pretty optimistic. 😄 mmm ---
**Author:** ![md-2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9d8465/32.png) [@md-2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md-2000)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2023, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-excel-question/987631/8 "2023-07-26T19:57:39Z")
> [@solost](#): > > You could make column A be a sum: ‘DAY (row# -1):’ in bold text. I also find it simpler to create “value of cell above plus 1”. Easier than manually numbering. Set A2 to 1, then below it _=A2+1_, copy that formula all the way down. (It will automatically adjust, A3, A4, A5, etc.) If you’re worried about screwing it up later, do this - select the column, copy and “Paste Values” into the same place. Presto, manually numbered up to several hundred in seconds. Incidentally, this also works for dates. First row (or second rwo) _26-Jul-23_ and cell below it is “above plus 1”. copy all the way down. If it looks funny, format column as date. Copy and paste value if necessary. Copy - then Paste Values - is a good way to turn calculated values into hard numbers so they won’t change… making the sheet simpler. Since you sound like you’re learning - you know if you put something in a cell, select the cell, then hover over the bottom right (small square on the selected cell(s) outline) the cursor turns from hollow “+” to solid black “+”. While it’s solid black, you can click and drag to copy the formula into further cells. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2023, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-excel-question/987631/9 "2023-07-26T20:02:21Z")
Not … _manually_ ?! You could automate that: Set A1 to 0 set A2 to =(a1)+1 then copy cell a2, highlight the rest of column A and press ctrl+V ETA … ninjad. 🙄 ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2023, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-excel-question/987631/10 "2023-07-26T20:10:09Z")
> [@pjd](#): > > Not … _manually_ ?! > You could automate that: I must point out that it took me approximately 27 seconds. mmm ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2023, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-excel-question/987631/11 "2023-07-26T20:13:03Z")
Ah. If 50 is all you need then you’ve probably saved a few seconds ! ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2023, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-excel-question/987631/12 "2023-07-27T04:31:53Z")
Alternatively for any repeating sequence in Excel, just type in the first few, in this case 1 then 2, left click and highlight the two cells and drag down the right bottom corner as far as you want. Works for any sequence. Like dates. Or if you did 1 and then a blank cell it would sequentially number every second cell.