How to randomly fill values from a list of data in Excel?
For example, you have a list of names, and now you need to randomly select several names and fill into given cells, how to deal with it? Here I will introduce a couple of methods to randomly fill values from a list of data in Excel.
- Randomly fill values from a list of data with functions
- Randomly fill values from a list of data with Kutools for Excel
Randomly fill values from a list of data with functions
To randomly fill values from a given list of data in Excel, we can apply the RANDBETWEEN function and VLOOKUP function to get it done as follows:
Step 1: Right click the column of given list, and select Insert from right-clicking menu.
Step 2: In the inserted column, type NO. as column heading, and then type sequence numbers into following cells as above screenshot:
Step 3: Fill specified cells randomly from the given list:
(1) In a blank cell enter the formula =RANDBETWEEN(1,15), and drag the fill handle to the range you need.
(2) In the cell where you will fill name randomly from the given list, enter the formula =VLOOKUP(C2,$A$1:$B$16,2,FALSE), and drag the fill handle to the range you need.
Notes:
(1) In the formula =RANDBETWEEN(1,15), 1 is the smallest sequence number, and 15 is the biggest one.
(2) In the formula =VLOOKUP(C2,$A$1:$B$16,2,FALSE), C2 is the random sequence number you got just now, $A$1:$B$16 is the range of given list and inserted sequence numbers, 2 means the second column in the range of $A$1:$B$16.
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The RANDBETWEEN function and VLOOKUP function can easily help you to randomly fill names from the given list in Excel. However, this method leaves two problems:
- The random names change once current worksheet refreshes, such as enter a new formula in the worksheet, or just double-click into a cell and then leave, etc.
- Duplicate names are filled in the specified cells occasionally.
Randomly fill values from a list of data with Kutools for Excel
To randomly fill names from the given list without duplicates, and keep all filled names static, you can try Kutools for Excel’s Insert Random Data utility to get it done with ease.
Kutools for Excel - Includes more than 300 handy tools for Excel. Full feature free trial 30-day, no credit card required! Free Trial Now!
Step 1: Click Kutools > Insert > Insert Random Data.
Step 2: In the opening Insert Random Data dialog box, go to the Custom list tab, click the Add button; then in the opening Create Sequence dialog box, click the 
button; in the new dialog box, specify the range of given name list; next click OK > Ok.
Step 3: Now the given name list is added as a custom list in the Insert Random Data dialog box. Select the range you will randomly fill names from the given list, click the Ok button or Apply button.
Note: To fill names randomly from the given list without duplicates, please check the Unique values option in the Insert Random Data dialog box. See above screen shot.
Demo: randomly fill values from a list of data in Excel
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