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Automatic list numbering

It's fairly easy to create a formula that generates consecutively number items in nonconsecutive cells. Refer to the figure below.

Column A consists of formulas that refer to column B. The formula in cell A1 is:

 =IF(B1<>"",COUNTA($B$1:B1)&".","")

This formula, which is copied down to the other cells in column A, displays the next consecutive item number if the corresponding cell in column B is not empty. If the cell in column B is empty, the formula displays nothing.

As items are added or deleted from column B, the numbering updates automatically.