Excel SEQUENCE Function
last modified October 5, 2026
The SEQUENCE function is a dynamic array function in Excel that
generates a list of sequential numbers in an array. The result spills into the
adjacent cells, so a single formula can fill a column, a row, or a whole grid
and resize itself whenever the arguments change. This tutorial covers the
syntax and arguments, one-dimensional and two-dimensional sequences, custom
start values and step sizes, date series, combining SEQUENCE with
functions such as INDEX and TEXT, and how it compares
with the older ROW and INDIRECT workaround.
SEQUENCE Function Basics
The SEQUENCE function generates a list of sequential numbers in an
array. It can create one-dimensional or two-dimensional sequences with control
over the start value and the step size. rows and
columns set the size of the output, start is the first
number, and step is the increment between the numbers.
| Component | Description |
|---|---|
| Function Name | SEQUENCE |
| Syntax | =SEQUENCE(rows,[columns],[start],[step]) |
| Arguments | rows (required), columns, start, step (all optional) |
| Return Value | A spilled array of sequential numbers |
| Availability | Excel for Microsoft 365, Excel 2021, Excel 2024, and Excel for the web |
The table below describes each argument in more detail.
| Argument | Meaning |
|---|---|
| rows | Required. The number of rows to return. It must be at least 1. |
| columns | Optional. The number of columns to return. Defaults to 1. |
| start | Optional. The first number in the sequence. Defaults to 1. It may be negative or zero. |
| step | Optional. The amount added to each subsequent value. Defaults to 1. It may be negative, zero, or a decimal. |
SEQUENCE takes four arguments, of which only the first is
required. Every missing optional argument defaults to 1, so
=SEQUENCE(5) is the same as =SEQUENCE(5,1,1,1). If you
omit rows, you must supply at least one other argument; for
example, =SEQUENCE(,5) returns the horizontal array
{1,2,3,4,5}.
Because the result is a dynamic array, it needs enough empty cells to spill
into; otherwise Excel reports a #SPILL! error. The function is
available only in Excel 2021 and later and in Microsoft 365. In Excel 2019 and
earlier the function does not exist and produces a #NAME? error.
Basic SEQUENCE Example
This example demonstrates the simplest use of the SEQUENCE function to generate a vertical list of numbers.
=SEQUENCE(5)
This formula creates a sequence of 5 numbers starting from 1 in a single column. The result will be numbers 1 through 5 vertically. This shows the minimal required argument for SEQUENCE.
| A |
|---|
| 1 |
| 2 |
| 3 |
| 4 |
| 5 |
Two-Dimensional Sequence
SEQUENCE can generate a grid of numbers by specifying both rows and columns. This example creates a 3x3 matrix.
=SEQUENCE(3,3)
This formula generates a 3-row by 3-column array starting from 1. The numbers fill left to right, then top to bottom. The result is a perfect square number grid.
| A | B | C |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 4 | 5 | 6 |
| 7 | 8 | 9 |
Sequence with Custom Start and Step
You can control the starting value and increment of the sequence. This example shows a sequence starting at 10 with steps of 5.
=SEQUENCE(4,1,10,5)
This formula creates a 4-row, 1-column sequence starting at 10 with each subsequent number increasing by 5. The result demonstrates precise control over sequence parameters.
| A |
|---|
| 10 |
| 15 |
| 20 |
| 25 |
Descending Sequence
SEQUENCE can generate decreasing sequences by using a negative step value. This example counts down from 100.
=SEQUENCE(5,1,100,-20)
This formula creates a 5-number sequence starting at 100 and decreasing by 20 each step. The negative step parameter enables reverse counting functionality.
| A |
|---|
| 100 |
| 80 |
| 60 |
| 40 |
| 20 |
Step Sizes
The step argument accepts negative values, decimals, and zero. A
negative step counts down, a decimal step creates fractions, and a step of zero
repeats the start value in every cell instead of raising an error.
| Formula | Result | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
=SEQUENCE(3,1,5,-1) |
{5;4;3} | Negative step counts down |
=SEQUENCE(4,1,0,0.25) |
{0;0.25;0.5;0.75} | Decimal step builds fractions |
=SEQUENCE(5,1,1,0) |
{1;1;1;1;1} | Zero step repeats the start value |
The rows and columns arguments behave differently
from start and step: they must be whole numbers of at
least 1, and a decimal such as 2.7 is truncated rather than rounded, so
=SEQUENCE(2.7) returns {1;2}. Neither start nor
step is restricted to positive values.
Date Sequence
SEQUENCE works with dates since Excel stores them as date serial numbers. This example generates seven consecutive days starting from a specific day.
=SEQUENCE(7,1,DATE(2025,1,1),1)
This formula creates a 7-day sequence starting from January 1, 2025. The step of 1 represents daily increments. The spilled values are plain numbers, so format the cells as dates to display them properly.
| A |
|---|
| 1/1/2025 |
| 1/2/2025 |
| 1/3/2025 |
| 1/4/2025 |
| 1/5/2025 |
| 1/6/2025 |
| 1/7/2025 |
Generating a Date Series
Because dates are numbers, the step argument can move the series
by any number of days. A step of 7 produces weekly dates, which is the usual
way to build reports that repeat every week.
=SEQUENCE(4,1,DATE(2023,1,1),7)
The formula returns four dates, seven days apart, beginning with January 1, 2023. The underlying values are the serial numbers 44927, 44934, 44941, and 44948; apply a date number format to read them as dates.
| A |
|---|
| 1/1/2023 |
| 1/8/2023 |
| 1/15/2023 |
| 1/22/2023 |
A step of 30 approximates a month, but months have different lengths, so for
exact calendar months generate month offsets instead and let
EDATE do the date arithmetic:
=EDATE(DATE(2023,1,1),SEQUENCE(12,1,0)) returns the first day of
each month in 2023.
Combining SEQUENCE with Other Functions
SEQUENCE becomes even more powerful when combined with other functions. This example creates a multiplication table.
=SEQUENCE(10)*SEQUENCE(1,10)
This formula multiplies a vertical sequence (1-10) by a horizontal sequence (1-10). Excel expands the column and the row into a two-dimensional result, so all 100 products are calculated at once and the answer spills as a complete 10x10 multiplication table.
| A | B | C | ... | J |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | ... | 10 |
| 2 | 4 | 6 | ... | 20 |
| 3 | 6 | 9 | ... | 30 |
| ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |
| 10 | 20 | 30 | ... | 100 |
Wrapping SEQUENCE with INDEX and TEXT
SEQUENCE returns an array, so it can be consumed by other
functions instead of being displayed. INDEX picks a single value
out of the generated list, which is useful when the sequence itself is only an
intermediate step.
=INDEX(SEQUENCE(4,1,10,5),3)
The inner formula produces {10;15;20;25} and INDEX returns the
third item, which is 20. The nested sequence stays inside the formula, so only
one cell is used and nothing spills.
TEXT converts each number of the sequence into a formatted
string, which is the usual way to display dates or labels generated by
SEQUENCE.
=TEXT(SEQUENCE(4,1,DATE(2023,1,1),7),"mmm d, yyyy")
| A |
|---|
| Jan 1, 2023 |
| Jan 8, 2023 |
| Jan 15, 2023 |
| Jan 22, 2023 |
The result is text, so it can no longer be used in date calculations; keep the
raw sequence when you need to compute with the values and wrap it in
TEXT only for the display. The same idea works for plain numbers,
for example =TEXT(SEQUENCE(4,1,1,1),"000") returns 001, 002, 003,
004.
SEQUENCE vs ROW and INDIRECT
Before SEQUENCE existed, formulas built number lists with
ROW and INDIRECT. You will still meet these patterns
in older workbooks and in forum answers.
=ROW(INDIRECT("1:"&n))
=ROW(A1:A10)-ROW(A1)+1
Both forms work, but each has a weakness. INDIRECT is volatile,
so any formula that uses it recalculates whenever anything in the workbook
changes. ROW(A1:A10) depends on a real range, so inserting or
deleting rows inside that range changes how many numbers it returns, and the
text passed to INDIRECT is never adjusted by Excel.
The SEQUENCE equivalents are shorter and free of those problems:
=SEQUENCE(n) returns the numbers 1 to n and
=SEQUENCE(10,1,10,-1) counts down from 10 to 1. The function is
not volatile, does not depend on any cell reference, and does not require
Ctrl+Shift+Enter. Keep the older forms only when the workbook must
stay compatible with Excel 2019 or earlier.
SEQUENCE Errors and Troubleshooting
| Cause | Symptom | Fix |
|---|---|---|
rows or columns is 0 |
#CALC! error | The result would be an empty array; use at least 1 |
rows or columns is negative |
#VALUE! error | Supply a positive whole number |
| An argument contains text that cannot be read as a number | #VALUE! error | Pass a number or a formula that returns one, and test the input with ISNUMBER |
rows or columns has a decimal, such as 2.7 |
No error, but the value is truncated to 2 | Use INT or a whole number so the array is the size you expect |
| Spill range is blocked by other data | #SPILL! error | Clear the cells the result needs, or move the formula |
| Formula is entered inside an Excel Table | #SPILL! error | Tables cannot spill; move the formula outside the table |
| Opened in Excel 2019 or earlier | #NAME? error | Use Excel 2021, Excel 2024, or Microsoft 365 |
| Requested array is larger than the worksheet | #SPILL! for more than 16,384 columns, #VALUE! for more than 1,048,576 rows | Reduce the size so the result fits on the sheet |
A step of zero is not an error: =SEQUENCE(5,1,1,0) deliberately
returns {1;1;1;1;1}. When an argument comes from a cell, guard the whole
formula with IFERROR, for example
=IFERROR(SEQUENCE(A1),0), so an invalid count falls back to a
value you choose instead of showing an error.
The SEQUENCE function replaces one of the oldest workarounds in
Excel with a single, readable argument list. From a simple numbered list to a
two-dimensional grid, from daily and weekly date series to outer products such
as a full multiplication table, one formula produces the whole array and keeps
it correct when the inputs change. Remember the three rules that cover almost
every problem: rows and columns must be whole numbers
of at least 1, the result needs empty cells to spill into, and the function
requires Excel 2021 or later. Master those points and
SEQUENCE will remove the dragging, helper columns, and volatile
INDIRECT formulas from your worksheets.
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