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Extract a unique list with UNIQUE
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Excel how-to guide
How to sequence number rows in Excel
Auto-number a list of items, generate a series of month numbers from 1 to 12, or create a row index for XLOOKUP or other formulas.
Step-by-step instructions
How to sequence number rows — 3 steps
1
Enter the number of values to generate as the first argument.
2
Optionally add a second argument for the number of columns (default 1).
3
Optionally add a third argument for the start value (default 1) and a fourth for the step increment (default 1).
Example data
Worked example
| Row Number |
|---|
| 1 |
| 2 |
| 3 |
| 4 |
| 5 |
Common mistakes
Errors to watch out for
SEQUENCE is not available
SEQUENCE requires Excel 365 or Excel 2021. Use ROW()-ROW($A$1)+1 as a workaround in older versions.
SPILL error
SEQUENCE needs empty cells to spill into. Clear the destination range and the formula will resolve.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How do I generate a series of dates?
Use SEQUENCE with a date start and a step of 1 — =SEQUENCE(30,1,DATE(2026,1,1),1) generates 30 consecutive dates starting January 1, 2026. Format the cells as dates.
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