How to Generate Number Lists with SEQUENCE in Excel

Generate the next invoice numbers, a schedule of due dates and a top-3 list — all from one SEQUENCE formula each.

You will learn to

• Generate numbers that continue from existing data
• Build a list of dates with a step
• Use SEQUENCE as the k argument of LARGE

How it works

SEQUENCE(rows, [columns], [start], [step]) generates a list of numbers that spills. =SEQUENCE(5) returns 1 to 5, and =SEQUENCE(5,1,MAX(A2:A9)+1) returns the next five invoice numbers after the highest one already used. Because dates are numbers, =SEQUENCE(4,1,start+30,30) builds a schedule of due dates 30 days apart — just format the results as dates.

SEQUENCE is also a handy array of positions to feed other functions. =LARGE(C2:C9,SEQUENCE(3)) asks LARGE for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd largest values at once and spills a top-three list.

=SEQUENCE(5,1,MAX(A2:A9)+1)