excel storing previous cell values in memory

[Brent Bortnick]

When a value is entered into a cell, you can move to the cell beneath it and
start to type the same value. Excel will recognize the value being similar
and populate the new cell with the old value. However, I find there is no
consistancy with it. Some values it works with and some it does not. For
example, one column has a possibility of two values (ABC and DEF).
Previously, Excel was able to remember both so that if you typed either 'A'
or 'D' it would grab the repective value and insert it. Recently, however,
something happened and it lost the ability to recognize 'DEF', so now
inserting it is done manually. How does this memory feature work and how can
I manipulate it so that I can always have it remember what I choose

 

[Kevin Vaughn]

I would guess there is ambiguity involved. If somewhere above the cell you
are typing in, you typed, for instance DEF and somewhere else DEFGHI, then it
won't know which one you want until you type DEFG

 

[CarlosAntenna]

It could also be a space after one of your entries DEF<space>.