How to Use the SEQUENCE Function in Excel
Introduction
You need a column of numbers from 1 to 100, or a list of weekly dates for the next quarter. Typing them by hand gets old fast. The SEQUENCE function generates an entire series from a single formula, and it updates instantly if you change the parameters.
SEQUENCE
SEQUENCE builds an array of evenly spaced numbers based on the parameters you provide. Here is the syntax:
=SEQUENCE(rows, [columns], [start], [step])
- rows: How many rows to generate.
- columns: How many columns (defaults to 1).
- start: The first number in the sequence (defaults to 1).
- step: The increment between numbers (defaults to 1).
When you only supply the first argument, SEQUENCE generates a column of numbers starting at 1:
=SEQUENCE(5)
| A | |
|---|---|
| 4 | 1 |
| 5 | 2 |
| 6 | 3 |
| 7 | 4 |
| 8 | 5 |
You only enter this formula in one cell. Because SEQUENCE is a dynamic array function, the results spill automatically into the cells below.
Custom Start and Step
You can control the starting value and the gap between numbers using the third and fourth arguments.
To generate values from 100 to 500 in steps of 100:
=SEQUENCE(5, 1, 100, 100)
| A | |
|---|---|
| 4 | 100 |
| 5 | 200 |
| 6 | 300 |
| 7 | 400 |
| 8 | 500 |
The step value can also be negative, which lets you count backward. To count down from 10 in steps of 2:
=SEQUENCE(5, 1, 10, -2)
| A | |
|---|---|
| 4 | 10 |
| 5 | 8 |
| 6 | 6 |
| 7 | 4 |
| 8 | 2 |
Date Sequences
Excel stores dates as serial numbers under the hood, so SEQUENCE handles them just like any other numeric series. To create a list of weekly dates starting January 5, 2026:
=SEQUENCE(6, 1, DATE(2026,1,5), 7)
| A | |
|---|---|
| 4 | 1/5/2026 |
| 5 | 1/12/2026 |
| 6 | 1/19/2026 |
| 7 | 1/26/2026 |
| 8 | 2/2/2026 |
| 9 | 2/9/2026 |
A step of 7 advances one week at a time. You can adjust this to suit your needs: use 1 for daily dates or 14 for biweekly. Just remember to format the output cells as dates so Excel displays them correctly.
Key takeaway: The start and step arguments accept any numeric expression, including DATE and TIME functions. SEQUENCE treats all values as plain numbers, so it works the same way whether those numbers represent dates, times, or anything else.
Two-Dimensional Grids
When you specify both the rows and columns arguments, SEQUENCE produces a two-dimensional grid. Here is a 4-row by 3-column example:
=SEQUENCE(4, 3)
| A | B | C | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 5 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| 7 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
The numbers fill across each row from left to right before moving down to the next row.
Time Sequences
SEQUENCE works with time values the same way it works with dates. To generate hourly time slots from 8 AM to 5 PM, use the TIME function for both the start and step:
=SEQUENCE(10, 1, TIME(8,0,0), TIME(1,0,0))
| A | |
|---|---|
| 4 | 8:00 AM |
| 5 | 9:00 AM |
| 6 | 10:00 AM |
| 7 | 11:00 AM |
| 8 | 12:00 PM |
| 9 | 1:00 PM |
| 10 | 2:00 PM |
| 11 | 3:00 PM |
| 12 | 4:00 PM |
| 13 | 5:00 PM |
This produces 10 rows starting at 8:00 AM, each one hour apart. Format the output cells as time values so Excel displays them as times rather than decimal fractions.
Conclusion
SEQUENCE takes the repetition out of building numbered lists, date ranges, countdowns, and grids. With just four arguments you can define exactly what series you need, and the entire output updates instantly if you change any of them.
If you need to narrow down your results based on conditions, see our guide on FILTER. To reorder data dynamically, check out our guide on SORT and SORTBY.
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