Written and reviewed by FormulaCraft Team. Each formula on this page is run through our verification engine before publishing.
Last reviewed:
How to number rows automatically in Excel and Google Sheets
Topic:Data cleaning & shapingExcel & Google Sheets
=ROW()-1✓
Verified example
Computed by a real spreadsheet engine on the sample data below.
| # | Name |
| Alice | |
| Bob | |
| Carol | |
| David | |
| Eve |
=ROW()-1→0
Try it with your data
Edit the grid or formula, then run it through a real spreadsheet engine — no signup.
Sample data — click any cell to edit
Runs server-side · free · no signup
Step by step
- 1In cell A2 (assuming row 1 is the header) enter =ROW()-1 — this returns the current row number minus 1, giving 1 for row 2, 2 for row 3, and so on.
- 2Copy the formula down through all data rows.
- 3If your header is not in row 1, adjust the subtracted offset: if data starts in row 3, use =ROW()-2.
Tips
- ROW()-based numbering always stays correct even if you delete or insert rows — unlike a hardcoded 1, 2, 3 series that would need manual correction.
Need it for your exact data?
Describe your columns in plain English and get the precise formula for your sheet, with the right Excel or Sheets syntax.
Frequently asked
How do I number only rows that contain data (skip blanks)?
Use =IF(B2<>"",COUNTA($B$2:B2),"") — this counts non-blank cells from the top down, giving a sequential number only to filled rows.
Can I restart numbering at 1 for each group?
Yes — use COUNTIF to count occurrences of the group label so far: =COUNTIF($B$2:B2,B2) gives the within-group sequence number.
More on Data cleaning & shaping
See all →How-to
How to merge two columns
Combine two columns into one with the & operator — perfect for joining first and last names into a full name.
How-toHow to create a sequential invoice number
Automatically generate sequential invoice numbers with a prefix and zero-padded counter using TEXT and ROW in Excel and Google Sheets.
How-toHow to number rows within each group
Assign sequential row numbers that restart for each group using COUNTIF with a mixed reference in Excel and Google Sheets.
How-toHow to remove blank rows
Delete empty rows quickly by filtering for blanks and deleting visible rows, or use Go To Special in Excel for a one-click approach.
How-toHow to transpose rows to columns
Flip rows and columns using the TRANSPOSE function or Paste Special to convert horizontal data to vertical and vice versa.
How-toHow to combine multiple columns into one
Merge values from several columns into one cell using the ampersand operator or CONCAT/TEXTJOIN for delimited output.