Occasionally, Excel appears to be too wonderful to be true. All you have to do is enter a formula, and nearly everything you would ever need to do manually is automated.
- Do you need to combine two sheets that contain comparable data?
- Do you require assistance with simple math?
- Do you need to mix data from multiple cells?
Excel can help you with all of these. This blog covers the best tips, tactics, and shortcuts you can apply right now to elevate your Excel game.
What exactly is Excel?
Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet application that is used by marketers, accountants, data analysts, and other professionals to store, organize, and track large amounts of data. It is included in the Microsoft Office product family.
Tips to help you get better at Excel
While Excel is best recognized as an accounting application, workers in any field can benefit from its features and formulas since they can be used to track any type of data.
It eliminates the need for hours upon hours of cell counting and copying and pasting performance numbers. Excel frequently includes a shortcut or quick fix that accelerates the process. Taking up an online Excel course can help you learn all of these features in-depth.
Here are the best time-saving tips and tricks to help you with MS Excel:
1. Utilization of Table objects
Table objects approach data as a unit and, as a result, automate a lot of tasks, lowering the amount of time required to interact with the data. When a data set is converted to a Table, automatic filters and formatting are applied.
Excel recognizes that you’re working in a Table, and hence automatically cycles over the Table when you press Tab.
- You may quickly add a totalling row to the bottom of the Table with a single click.
- Headers are always accessible regardless of the number of records.
- When you add a column or row to a Table, the Table’s formulas and formatting are extended as well.
- Charts based on Table objects are automatically updated as the source data is modified.
All of this may be accomplished manually without using a Table, however using a Table avoids these tasks.
To create a Table from a data set, click anywhere inside the data. Then, on the Insert tab, select the Tables group and click Table. Select whether your data contains a header row in the resulting dialog box, then click OK.
2. Open multiple files concurrently
If you work with a large number of open workbooks, you can save some time by opening them concurrently. To make a multi-file selection in Windows Explorer, open it and hold down the Ctrl or Shift key. Once you’ve chosen all of the files you require, press Enter. That is all!
The only constraint is that all workbooks must be stored in the same folder.
3. Templates That Save Time
Utilizing a template is one of the most efficient ways to save time on almost any work. They are compatible with Microsoft Word and can be used to create meeting agendas, newsletters, or reports. Utilizing these easy pre-formatted tools can significantly save you time. They can be used for:
- Project schedules
- Calendars
- Invoices
- Budgets
Microsoft offers a selection of Excel templates for calendars, planners, cost trackers, and time sheets on its website.
Vertex42’s timetables, budgets, to-do lists, and balance sheets are all well-designed. Spreadsheet 123 is another excellent resource for invoices, inventories, sign-in sheets, and attendance forms.
4. Rows and Columns Freeze
If you have a lengthy spreadsheet with a lot of data, you may find yourself scrolling too far down or even across to see everything. This means you’ll lose track of your headings and will have to repeatedly scroll back to find them. If you freeze the rows and columns, the headers will remain visible as you navigate through your spreadsheet.
- Navigate to the View tab and on the ribbon, click Freeze Panes.
- Select Freeze Top Row, Freeze 1st Column, or both from the Freeze Panes dropdown.
You’ll notice that your headers remain visible as you navigate up, down, right, or left. Simply select the Freeze Panes command again and click Unfreeze Panes to unfreeze those rows and columns.
Take note that the method is slightly different in older versions of Excel. Click Freeze Panes and then select the cell that is common to both the row and column you wish to freeze.
5. Utilizing AutoSum
Some may believe that dealing with Excel formulas is too time-consuming to begin with. However, even for simple calculations, these built-in tools can significantly speed up your spreadsheet work.
Unless you’ve changed or deleted the AutoSum button from your ribbon, it should be located on the Home tab.
This convenient tool provides access to the most frequently used formulas with a single click. You can add, count, or average a collection of numbers, as well as find their minimum and maximum values.
Simply click the arrow next to the AutoSum button to select a formula.
Along with the AutoSum feature, the Formulas tab includes additional possibilities. Each formula is categorized to make it easy to locate. You can choose from financial, logical, mathematical, statistical, and engineering functions.
6. Installing Handy Add-Ins
Office add-ins, like browser extensions, are tools that enhance your application’s experience, data, and efficiency. And in Excel, you have a plethora of useful add-ins to pick from based on your specific requirements.
Click the Insert tab and then the Store button. After that, you can browse tools by category. For example, the Productivity category features document automation add-ins and a template gallery. Additionally, the Project Management category includes Gantt charts and activity clocks as add-ins.
Certain add-ins are free, while others need payment, so be sure to read the fine print before installing.
7. Utilization of Format Painter
You may be acquainted with the Format Painter if you use other Microsoft Office apps, such as Word. This useful feature in Excel allows you to copy the formatting from one or more cells to others with a single click.
- Copy the formatting from a cell, set of cells, row, or column.
- Click Format Painter on the Home tab.
- Copy the formatting to a cell, group of cells, row, or column by selecting it.
This is an excellent approach to swiftly apply beneficial cell formatting to others without performing laborious work.
8. Window Switching and Viewing
There are occasions when you’ll need to work with many Excel workbooks concurrently. You may also require data inspection, comparison, or even copying from one workbook to another. Excel includes a number of useful viewing capabilities that can be used to assist. To explore these options, navigate to the View tab.
- Arrange Everything: This option enables you to view all of your open workbooks on a single screen. You can view the data in a tiled, horizontal, vertical, or cascaded format.
- View Side by Side: This option enables you to compare two open workbooks side by side or on top of one another.
- Switch Windows: Use this button if you have many Excel workbooks open at the same time and want to rapidly switch between them. This incredible function eliminates the need for window minimization and maximization.
Conclusion
Microsoft Excel is a robust data organization tool designed to help you minimize clutter and maximize the value of your data. As globalization and e-commerce continue to generate massive volumes of data, businesses seek to engage individuals trained in sophisticated Excel.
Enrolling in an Online Excel course not only opens up numerous opportunities to lucrative professions but also enables students from a variety of fields to learn new skills from experts. What are you waiting for?
Summary
Excel contains numerous features, shortcuts, and tools that can help you save time, maintain the integrity of your files, and simplify data analysis. Here are some points to help you improve your Excel game. Excel appears to be an impossible dream come true. All you need to do is enter a formula, and practically everything else is automated. This article includes the tips and tricks you need to save your time while using Excel and become a pro.
