Add an Hours Worked Column with Example Data

A SharePoint Online tutorial by Peter Kalmström

When you are trying different solutions and scenarios for SharePoint lists, it is helpful to use example data. In the demo below Peter Kalmström, CEO and Systems Designer of kalmstrom.com Business Solutions, shows how to first add an "Hours Worked" column to a task list and then create example data for it in Microsoft Excel.

Create an Hours Worked column in a SharePoint list

In the SharePoint list, click on the Create column button under the LIST tab in the ribbon.
Give the column a name and select the radio button for the Number column type.
Write a description how the column should be used.
Select to show 0 decimals and click OK.

Before Peter creates the example data for the new column he modifies the item limit of the view so that it includes all the rows in the grid. This way he can easily paste the example data he creates in Excel into the new column.

Create example data for the Hours Worked column in Excel

Create a new Excel spreadsheet.
Enter a RAND function in a cell to generate random numbers. Peter uses the formula =int(RAND()*100)
Drag the cell down to copy the formula to as many cells as you need in the SharePoint list column.

When you don't have too many rows in the SharePoint datasheet grid it works well to paste the values you have copied from Excel.

If you have a long SharePoint list it is safer to open it in Access and paste the values into the Hours Worked column there. Refer to the previous article for instructions on how to open a SharePoint list in Microsoft Access.