Best Practice Sharing: Excel Tips & Tricks
Have you ever been so immersed in a project that you dream about spreadsheets? Well, hopefully not, but I have to tell you, sometimes I do dream about spreadsheets. One of my favorite things about blogging, is that it gives people the opportunity to collaborate and share tips, tricks and best practices. Will you share your favorite excel tips with us?
Today’s young professional must be proficient in Microsoft Office Products. They help the business world get things done. Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint are basic tools that you need to understand. Some offices are adopting new software that is similar in functionality to the Office products with no costs to users. OpenOffice.org offers free office productivity software. Google offers Google Documents.
If your daily routine involves hours of spreadsheets, you may be like me and get excited when you learn a new spreadsheet shortcut or formula.
Useful Excel Tips & Tricks
Open Two Excel Windows- If you use multiple spreadsheets, you can work quicker by having two separate instances of excel open instead of having one instance open with multiple spreadsheets. Using two instances of excel is also really helpful if you have a multi-monitor set up.
How to open two instances of Excel: Open Excel. Go to File, then open and select the .xls file you wish to work with. Next, open excel again. A new excel instance should open. Find the second file you wish to view and you now have two instances instead of one.
Excel Forums- I’m very good with Excel but there are so many experts that are much better than me. From time to time, I use excel forums to help get answers to questions I cannot figure out on my own. If you cannot find a tutorial by Googling it, try MrExcel. You can post questions with screen shots and get feedback. Here’s an insider tip: Don’t post screen shots of company sensitive data!
General Keyboard Shortcuts
New file: CTRL + N Open file: CTRL + O Save file: CTRL + S Switch between worksheets in a workbook: CTRL+PAGE UP or CTRL+PAGE DOWN Move between open workbooks: CTRL +F6 Save as: F12 Spell check: F7 Display print menu: CTRL + P Undo last action: CTRL + Z Redo last action: CTRL + Y Start a formula: = (eg. SUM (A1+A2) Wrap text in cell: Alt + Enter Cut: CTRL + X Copy: CTRL + C Paste: CTRL + V Select entire worksheet: CTRL + A Select entire row: SHIFT + Spacebar Select entire column: CTRL + SpacebarNavigation Shortcuts
Move to next cell in row: Tab Move to previous cell in row: Shift + Tab Go to first cell in data rgion: CTRL+Home Go to last cell in data region: CTRL+ ENDFormatting ShortcutsBold selection: CTRL + B
Italicize selection: CTRL + I Underline selection: CTRL + U Strike through selection: CTRL + 5 Change font: CTRL + Shift + F Change font size: CTRL + SHIFT + P Apply outline border: CTRL + SHIFT + 7 Format Cell: CTRL + 1 Format as general (removes formatting): CTRL + SHIFT + # (hash sign) Format as number: CTRL + SHIFT + 1There are many tips, tricks and shortcuts. These were just a few. Let’s hear your favorites!
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6 Responses to “Best Practice Sharing: Excel Tips & Tricks”
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November 14th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
One of my favorite tools in Excel is the format brush. This brush, located in the tool bar, allows you to select the formating of one cell and apply it to another. It’s life saving!
November 15th, 2008 at 1:36 am
I *love* CTRL ~ it reveals all of the formulas on the page, so you can check for consistency, figure out why your formulas are not adding up, etc. I also like “F4″, which automatically freezes your cell choices (eg: $L$4), rather than you having to type in the dollar signs yourself.
November 17th, 2008 at 1:33 am
Great post Brandon
November 20th, 2008 at 5:56 am
Haha I have been known to dream about spreadsheets!
I didn’t know a few of those shortcuts, thanks.
My best Excel tip is to type what you want into the help menu e.g. “how do I make a drop-down box”. I have learned so much that way!
November 20th, 2008 at 9:07 am
Do you know if that multiple instance of Excel trick is possible for Powerpoint? I think that would make my day.
Thanks!
November 29th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
My favorite excel tricks:
Vlookup
Macros
I have saved my direct boss multiple hours/week by using vlookup and macros. I have also created a lot of forecasting spreadsheets that are incredibly accurate using vlookups.