Preventing Employee numbers from counting up when copying them using the Fill Handle

I have a time sheet where I want to enter in the time spent doing various jobs for an employee.

I have a List of employees that are in a Data Validation range so I don't make any typos.

I always thought that using this that the cells where you are placing one of names off the list needed to be an exact match.

I found that not to be the case when I put the employee number after their name such as "John Smith 2343".

When I select their name using the pull down, that is fine.

What I want to be able to do now is, using the Fill Handle, copy that cell down into other cells. When it copies down it counts up the employee number, even though this name and new number is not on the Data Validation list.

I want:
John Smith 2343
John Smith 2343
John Smith 2343
John Smith 2343

but I get
John Smith 2343
John Smith 2344
John Smith 2345

I have forced it to be text, no difference.

I know I can do the normal copy/paste but the fill handle is faster and easier. Anyway I can use it and keep the number the same?

Brian

Originally Posted by :) Sixthsense :)

Instead of using Fill Handle do copy paste

I realize that, as stated in the bottom of my posting, but it's faster and easier to use the fill handle. So I'm hoping there is a solution that allows me to use that technique.

instead of using fill series...use fill down
you can do this pre or post filling in excel 2010

Post is down by click the "+" on the bottom right of the cell
it will give you 4 options, select copy cells

Pre can be done using keyboard shortcut Ctrl + D or icon on ribbon

Originally Posted by Pepe Le Mokko

Try dragging the handle while holding the Ctrl key down

Holding down the Ctrl key seems the easiest. Thanks Pepe Le Mokko and all that took the time to respond.