Hi Sy,
Autofill as you describe it works with only the information entered in cells directly above the target cell and in the same table.
To access information from a separate table in the same document, you could use a formula including one of the Lookup functions, or a combination of MATCH and INDEX, or MATCH and OFFSET.
A script solution is likely also possible, and could be designed to present the names of the previous attendees one at a time, letting you make a yes/no decision regarding adding each (and that one's other information) to the current list. With a script, it would be possible to place the "master list" is a separate document.
What will you do with the 'new attendance sheet?' Will you print it and record attendance on the sheet of paper, or do you want to record attendance directly on the table in the document? Formulas provide a 'live' connection to the source table, so if you are going to use the table on the 'new attendance sheet' for more than one group, you will need to print the sheet for each group.
Tables filled using a script act in the same manner as those filled using the keyboard—the script enters data into the cells, and unless you make changes, that data remains the same, giving you a stable table on which to record attendance on the computer itself.
More detail in your question and planned use will help in finding a solution.
Regards,
Barry
