Automatic semantic data enrichment in a spreadsheet

To improve efficiency of populating a spreadsheet with data, the system and method disclosed herein provide for a user to request automatic filling of data into the spreadsheet. In one embodiment, the user identifies a target area such as a column of the spreadsheet and existing data items entered by the user are detected in a base column and the target column. In one aspect, a data item in a cell is detected in the target column. In another aspect a column header is detected in the target column. A semantic relationship is determined between the detected data items in the base column and target column. The determined relationship is then used to determine at least one new data item to add to the target area of the spreadsheet.