Excel Tips & Tricks
Calculate the Days, Months or Years between two Dates in Excel
Use the DatedIf function to calculate the interval between dates in Excel. Here's how:
Enter the function into a cell
=DATEDIF ( start_date , end_date, unit )
For example, to calculate the number of months between two dates, if the start date is in cell D2 and the end date is in cell E2 you
could enter this formula into cell F2:
Video demo : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9dz30QkL7g
Using IF Functions in Excel 2007 and 2010
Download the If Function Worksheet (http://www.createthefuture.com/Excel_If.xls) and learn about the more complex
uses of If functions.
Quick Navigation in Excel
To quickly move to the left, right, top, or bottom cell in a range of data, position the cursor at the beginning of the
range and press:
Ctrl + a cursor arrow
To select a range of data, position the cursor at the beginning of the range and press:
Shift + Ctrl + a cursor arrow
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Using VLOOKUP in Excel
VLOOKUP is a powerful Excel function which allows you to look up a value in an Excel list or table. For example, you could
use this function to look up grades based on a percentage value:
To learn more about this function, check out the free online training from Microsoft VLOOKUP: What it is, and when to use it
(http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel-help/vlookup-what-it-is-and-when-to-use-it-RZ101862716.aspx).
Using Excel 2010 Sparklines (New Feature)
A new feature in Excel 2010 called Sparklines can help you spot trends in your data. Sparklines are tiny charts that sit on top of a
cell. Here’s how to create them:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Select an empty cell or group of empty cells where you want to insert Sparklines
Click the Insert tab on the Ribbon
In the Sparklines group, click the type of Sparkline you want to create
In the Data box, enter the range of cells that contain the data to base the Sparklines on
Insert a Worksheet Based on a Template in Excel 2007
1.
2.
3.
4.
Right click a worksheet tab
Select Insert
Choose the template
Click OK
You can choose a custom template which you have created, one of the templates available when you click the
Spreadsheet Solutions tab, or click the Templates on Office Online button and choose from hundreds of templates
available from Microsoft.
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COUNTIFS in Excel 2007
We've had the COUNTIF function in Excel for a while. This function allows you to count records in a list that match a single
criteria. What's completely new with Excel 2007 is COUNTIFS which allows you to count records based on multiple criteria.
Sure, there were other ways of doing this before, but none as easy as the COUNTIFS function. Here's the syntax:
=COUNTIFS(range1,criterion1,range2,criterion2,…,range_n,criterion_n)
Makes it really simple to count records in a range that match the criteria you enter in the formula. If you need a little more help,
check out this article on the Microsoft web site: Use the COUNTIFS function in Excel 2007 to analyze data
(http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel/HA102369931033.aspx).
SUMIFS in Excel 2007
This is just an extension of the CountIfs function above. Here's the syntax:
=SUMIFS(SumRange,range1,criterion1,range2,criterion2,…,range_n,criterion_n)
AutoFill with Week Days
Hopefully you are already familiar with the Excel AutoFill feature for filling ranges with the months or days of the week. But
what if you need to fill an Excel range with just weekdays? Here’s how:
1.
Enter the starting day into a cell
2.
Place the pointer over the lower right corner of the cell until you see the copy/fill handle (a thin black plus)
3.
Right click the handle and drag to select the range you want to fill with weekdays
4.
When you let up on the mouse button a menu will appear
5.
Select Fill Weekdays
This tip works in Excel 2007/2010 as well as earlier versions.
Long Text Entries in Excel 2007
To break a long text entry into separate lines, position the insertion point in the cell entry or on the Formula bar where you want
the new line to start and press Alt + Enter. Excel expands the row containing the cell when it starts a new line. Excel
automatically wraps the text in the cell when you press Enter to complete the entry, according to the cell's column width and the
position of the line break.
Here is another method for dealing with long text entries in Excel 2007:
1.
Select the cell containing the long text entry
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2.
Click the Home tab on the Ribbon
3.
In the Alignment group, click the Wrap Text button
Or you can right click the text entry and:
1.
Select Format Cells from the shortcut menu
2.
Click the Alignment tab
3.
Click to select the Wrap text option
Cleaning your Data in Excel
If you have copied or imported data into your Excel workbook, you may need to clean it up. An article from Microsoft
entitled Top ten ways to clean your data (http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel/HA102218401033.aspx) covers features that
will help you accomplish this.
The basics of cleaning your data include:

Removing duplicate rows

Finding and replacing text

Changing the case of text

Removing spaces and nonprinting characters from text

Fixing numbers and number signs

Fixing dates and times

Merging and splitting columns

Transforming and rearranging columns and rows

Reconciling table data by joining or matching
Adding Paste Values to the Quick Access Toolbar in Excel 2007
Using the Paste Values option in Excel lets you strip formulas from your data and paste only the resulting values. In Excel 2007
the Quick Access Toolbar is a great way to simplify using this feature. Here's how:
1.
Click the Office button in the upper left corner of the Excel 2007 Screen
2.
Click the Excel Options button at the bottom of the Office window to display the Excel Options dialog box
3.
Click Customize in the left pane
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4.
Under Choose commands select All Commands
5.
Select Paste Values
6.
Click Add and then OK
Using the Excel 2007 Camera Tool
The Excel 2007 Camera tool lets you take a picture of a range of cells on a worksheet. Before you can use this tool you must first
add it to the Quick AccessToolbar on the Ribbon.
To add the Camera tool to the Quick Access Toolbar:
1.
Click the Office button in the upper-left corner of the Ribbon
2.
Click the Excel Options button
3.
Click Customize
4.
In the Choose Commands From drop-down list, select Commands Not in the Ribbon
5.
Select Camera and double-click to add it to the Quick Access Toolbar
6.
Click OK to close the Excel Options dialog box
To use this tool:
1.
Select a range on your worksheet
2.
Click the Camera tool on the Ribbon
3.
Click where you want the picture to appear (In this workbook or even in another workbook)
A graphic is created of the range you selected. If you change the original data the picture also changes. You can even copy or
move this picture to the clipboard and paste it into Word or PowerPoint if you need to. However, if you copy it into another
program it will no longer update when the original is changed.
Tracking Revisions in Excel 2007
Excel 2007 tracks worksheet revisions so you can see what has changed on each sheet. To use this feature, do the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Click the sheet to make it active
Click the Review tab on the Ribbon
Click Track Changes in the Changes group
Choose Highlight Changes
Click in the "Track changes while editing" box and then set the types of changes you want to highlight.
You can choose to have the changes highlighted on screen or listed on a new sheet.
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Data Validation in Excel 2007
Data Validation lets you restrict what goes into a cell. For example, if dates being entered must be between a certain
range, do this:
1.
Select the range of cells that you want to apply data validation to
2.
Click the Data tab on the Ribbon
3.
In the Data Tools group click the Data Validation button
4.
Under Validation criteria choose Date from the Allow drop-down menu
5.
Enter the acceptable date range
6.
Click OK
If someone tries to enter a date outside this range a warning is displayed that says, "The value you entered is not
valid.”
Import a Custom Auto Fill List in Excel 2007
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Select the range of cells on the worksheet which contains the list
Click the Microsoft Office button
Click the Excel Options button to display the Excel Options dialog box
Click the Popular tab in the left pane
Click the Edit Custom List button in the right pane to open the Custom List dialog box
The range of selected cells will be displayed in the Import list from cells box at the bottom
Click the Import button
Your list now appears in the Custom Lists window
Click OK
Change the Case of Text in Excel
To change the case of text in Excel, use one of the following formulas:
=UPPER(A1) Changes the text in cell A1 to upper case
=LOWER(A1) Changes the text in cell A1 to lower case
=PROPER(A1) Changes the text in cell A1 to proper case
For example:
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Display Formulas in Excel 2007 Worksheet
When creating Microsoft Excel worksheets formula results are shown in the worksheet NOT the formula. There may be times
when it would be helpful if you could SEE the formula in the worksheet.
To display formulas in Excel 2007:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Click the Office button
Click the Excel Options button
In the Excel Options dialog box, click Advanced
Scroll down to the Display options for this worksheet section
Click to select the option Show formulas in cells instead of their calculated values
To resume seeing the results of the formula, just repeat the above steps. Or you can use the shortcut keys for toggling formula
viewing on and off: Ctrl+` (accent key below the tilde ~). This shortcut works in earlier versions of Excel as well.
Worksheet Selection in Excel
If you have several worksheets in an Excel workbook, it can be time consuming to select the one you want to view. This shortcut
can help you speed up the process.
Right click on the sheet tab navigation arrows
A menu of worksheet tabs pops up
Left click the worksheet you want to view
This tip works in Excel 2007 as well as earlier versions.
Shade Alternate Rows in Excel 2007
One way to quickly add shading to alternate rows in Excel 2007 is by applying a predefined table style. By default, shading is
applied to alternate rows in an Excel 2007 table to make the data easier to read. The alternate row shading will remain accurate
even if you add or delete rows.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Select the range of cells you want to format
On the Home tab, in the Styles group, click Format as Table
Under Light, Medium, or Dark, click the table style you want to use
In the Format as Table dialog box, click OK. Notice that the Banded Rows check box is selected by default in the
Table Style Options group. To apply shading to alternate columns instead of alternate rows, clear this check box and
select Banded Columns
If you want to convert the Excel table back to a regular range of cells, click anywhere in the table to display the tools
necessary for converting the table back to a range of data
On the Design tab, in the Tools group, click Convert to Range
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Using Paste Link in Excel 2007
Most people know how to Cut, Copy and Paste in Excel 2007 but many don’t use Paste Link, which creates a link between the
data or formula in the original cell and the destination cell where it’s pasted. Here’s how:
1.
Click on a cell to make it the active cell
2.
Click on the Copy button on the Home tab (or press Ctrl + c)
3.
Click on the destination cell where you want the results to be displayed
4.
Click the small arrow at the bottom of the Paste button to open the drop down list
5.
Click Paste Link
The contents of the original cell now also appear in the destination cell.
Workbook Capacities in Excel 2007/2010
If you've upgraded to Excel 2007, or if you are thinking about it, you might be interested in the increased workbook capacities.
With Excel 2007 you are no longer limited to 3 sort levels and a worksheet can contain more than a million rows.
Workbook Capacities
Excel 2003
Excel 2007
Number of Worksheets
Columns
Rows
Colors
Sort levels
Characters in formula
Nested levels in formulas
Arguments in a function
Conditional formats
255
256
65,536
56
3
1,024
7
30
3
Limited to memory
16,384
1,048,576
16 million
64
8,192
64
255
Limited to memory
Sorting and Filtering in Excel 2007
A big improvement in Excel 2007 is the ability to sort on up to 64 levels instead of the 3 we had available in prior versions. You
can also filter data by color or by dates and Excel will display more than 1000 items in the AutoFilter drop-down list. A quick
way to sort or filter data in Excel 2007 is to use the shortcut menu:
1.
Right click a column in your table
2.
Select Filter or Sort from the shortcut menu
3.
To sort by the column selected, click Sort A to Z or Sort Z to A
4.
To sort on multiple criteria, select Custom Sort to display the Sort dialog box
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Add Color to Worksheet Tabs in Excel 2007
It can be useful to color code the tabs of Excel worksheets:
Select the tab of the sheet you want to re-color (to select more than one tab hold down the CTRL key and click each tab)
Right click and select Tab Color from the shortcut menu
Select color and click OK
This tip also works in previous versions of Excel.
Protect Cells in Excel 2007
You can prevent users from overwriting formulas or inadvertently changing labels or formats by protecting cells in a
worksheet. When you protect a worksheet all cells are protected, or locked, and cannot be changed. To allow users
to change certain cells in the worksheet you first identify which cells should NOT be locked. Then you protect, or lock,
the worksheet. In Excel 2007, follow these steps:
Unlock cells that can be changed
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Select the cells that users should be able to change
Click the Home tab on the Ribbon
In the Font group, click the small arrow in the lower right corner to open the Format Cells dialog box
Click the Protection tab
Deselect the Locked checkbox and click OK
Repeat these steps for each range of cells that can be changed, then protect the worksheet
Protect the worksheet
1.
2.
3.
Click the Review tab on the Ribbon
In the Changes group, click Protect Sheet and click OK
In the Protect Sheet dialog box enter a password, or leave blank if you don’t want a password, and click OK
Now users can only change the cells that are unlocked. If users try to change any other cells they receive a message
saying they must unprotect the cells to modify them.
Total Data in an Excel 2007 Table
New in Excel 2007, you can now total the data in a Microsoft Office Excel table by displaying a totals row at the end of the table.
Here's how:
1.
Click anywhere in the table to display the Table Tools Design tab
2.
Click the Design tab
3.
In the Table Style Options group, select the Total Row check box
4.
In the total row, click the cell in the column you want to calculate a total for
5.
Click the drop-down list arrow that appears
6.
In the drop-down list, select the function you want to use to calculate the total
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Working with Large Excel 2007 Worksheets
Worksheets that are too large to be displayed on a single screen can cause problems when entering data as well as
printing. There are 2 different features that will help you deal successfully with these issues.
To enter data into a worksheet that is wider or longer than the available screen area:
1.
2.
3.
Position the pointer beside and below the rows and/or columns to keep on the screen
Click the View tab on the Ribbon
In the Window group click Freeze Panes
To print a worksheet that is wider or longer than the available page size without losing the rows and/or columns
required to give meaning to your data:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Click the Page Layout tab on the Ribbon
In the Page Setup group click Print Titles to display the Page Setup Dialog box
Click the Sheet tab
Select the columns and/or rows that need to be repeated on each printed page
Click OK
Calculated Columns in Excel 2007 Tables
1.
2.
3.
Click a cell in a blank table column that you want to turn into a calculated column
Type the formula
The formula is automatically filled into all cells of the column
Freeze a Formula into its Current Value
To freeze a formula into its current value:
1.
Select the formula
2.
Press F2 (Edit)
3.
Press F9 (Calc)
4.
Press Enter
Now you can copy or move the value anywhere you need it. This trick works in all versions of Excel, even 2007!
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Keyboard Shortcuts in Excel 2007
If you are a fan of keyboard shortcuts you will be happy to know that most of the shortcuts we've used for years work exactly the
same in Excel 2007. Here's a list of some of my favorites:
Action
Start a new line in the same cell
Selects the entire worksheet
Undoes the last action
Redoes the last action
Calculates all worksheets in all open workbooks
Copy selected cells
Paste
Select data range
Keys
Alt + Enter
Ctrl + A
Ctrl + Z
Ctrl + Y
F9
Ctrl + C
Ctrl + V
Ctrl + Shift + *
For a complete listing of all Excel 2007 keyboard shortcuts, go to Excel shortcut and function keys
(http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel/HP100738481033.aspx) published on www.office.microsoft.com where you can find lots
of other great resources for learning Microsoft Office.
Remove Duplicate Records in Excel 2007 Database
1.
Click in the database
2.
Click the Design tab
3.
In the Tools group click Remove Duplicates
Text to Columns in Excel 2007
This feature can be useful for creating a database using existing information which is improperly formatted. For
example, if both first and last names have already been entered into a cell, use text to columns to split names into 2
columns.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Select the range of cells that contains the text values
Click the Data tab
In the Data Tools group, click Text to Columns
Follow the instructions in the Convert Text to Columns Wizard
Selecting a Range in Excel
In Excel, a range is a group of connected cells. When working in Excel you often need to select a range. Here is a
simple trick for quickly selecting a range:
1.
2.
Click anywhere within the range
Press Ctrl + Shift + *
The range is selected. This trick works in all versions of Excel.
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Generating Random Numbers in Excel
Some types of analysis require you to use randomly generated numbers. You can also use randomly generated numbers to
quickly populate an Excel spreadsheet. There's an easy function you can use to do this automatically:
=RAND() in a cell to generate a number between 0 and 1
=RAND()*100 to generate a number between 1 and 100
Display Fractions in Excel Worksheet
Have you ever wanted to display a fraction in an Excel worksheet? Try this:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Before typing fractions in cells, pre-format the cells by selecting the cells where you want to enter fractions
and choosing Format from the pull-down menu
Choose cells from the Format Cell dialog box
Select fraction from the category list
Select the type of fraction that you would like to display and click OK
Type the fraction using a forward slash between the numerator and denominator – do not type spaces – for
example, type 1/3 to represent one-third
If you need to type a whole number and a fraction type a space between the whole number and fraction, for
example 1 1/3
Combining Text from Two Cells in Excel
In Microsoft Excel you can combine the text in two or more cells into a single text string by using “concatenation”. The result is
displayed in the cell where you type the formula.
For example, If you have a worksheet that contains the First name in cell A1 and the Last name in cell B1, enter the following
expression in cell C1 to create a text string that displays the values of the First and Last names separated by a space: =A1&"
"&B1
Be sure to put a space between the double quotes in the expression. Copy this formula down to each row containing the names.
This tip works in Excel 2007 and 2010 as well as earlier versions.
Calculate Remaining Days in the Year
Have you ever wanted to calculate the number of days remaining in the year? If the date is in cell A1, use the
following formula:
=DATE(YEAR(A1),12,31)-A1
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Gantt Chart for Scheduling in Excel
A Gantt chart is a common tool for project planning and keeping track of the status of individual tasks within a project. Go
to www.vertex42.com (http://www.vertex42.com/ExcelTemplates/excel-gantt-chart.html) to download a free Gantt chart
spreadsheet for creating simple project schedules and timelines.
Add Text to Displayed Numerical Values in Excel
You can add text to the value of a cell by following these steps:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Choose Format from the pull-down menu
Select Cells
Select Custom from the Category list
In the Type box, select the default value General
After the word General, enter a space and a quote, next enter the word you want to display and another
quote. For example General "tons"
Click on OK
The format you create will put the word tons after any number you enter into the cell, but Excel will still treat the value
as a number, not text
Disable Drag and Drop in Excel
If you place your mouse pointer on the side of a cell in an Excel worksheet, it changes from an arrow or plus sign into
a four-sided arrow. If you click and hold the left mouse button down you can drag and move the cell information. It's
easy to move data you don’t want to move. To turn this feature off:
1.
2.
Click Tools from the pull-down menu
Choose Options
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3.
4.
5.
Click the Edit tab
Uncheck "Allow cell drag and drop"
Click OK
Calculate a Person's Age in Excel
The DATEDIF() function in Excel calculates the number of days, months, or years between two dates. This function makes it
easy to calculate a person's age. To try this:
1.
2.
In a blank worksheet, type a birth date in cell A1, using slashes to separate day, month, and year.
In cell A2, type =DATEDIF(A1,TODAY(),"y") and press ENTER.
The age (in years) will be displayed in cell A2.
Close all Open Files in Excel
Hold down the shift key
Select "File" from the pull-down menu
Click "Close All"
Using IF Functions in Excel
The Excel IF function is a great tool that can be used when the information you want in a cell is conditional. It’s
particularly handy if you need to specify two or more different responses for a cell based on specified conditions. The
format for this function is:
=IF("if the condition stated here is true", "then enter this value", "else enter this value")
For example, to see at who passed or failed an exam an IF function could be used. Let’s assume the pass mark is 75 and the
marks are in column B, starting from row 5. the formula would look like this:
=IF(B5>75, "Pass", "Fail")
Drop-Down Lists Increase Data Accuracy
Giving users the option to select data from lists rather than type it manually can help eliminate many data entry errors. But you
don't need to create the actual lists to ensure accuracy. After users enter an item once, Excel automatically includes it in a dropdown list of entries that users previously typed in the column.
For example, to access the list of vendors previously typed in the Vendors column of an Orders spreadsheet, follow these steps:
1.
2.
3.
Select the cell under the Vendors column for the next order.
Press [Alt] and the down arrow.
Select the vendor's name from the list, and press [Enter] or [Tab] to move to the next cell. If the vendor's name is not on
the list, users must type it manually. Excel will include the name the next time someone accesses the list.
Of course, if the automatic completion feature is turned on, data will be entered automatically when you begin
typing a column entry for the second time! To accept the proposed entry, press TAB or ENTER. The completed entry
exactly matches the pattern of uppercase and lowercase letters of the existing entries.
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To turn automatic completion of cell entries on or off:
1.
2.
On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Edit tab.
Select or clear the Enable AutoComplete for cell values check box.
Define Constant Values in Excel
Use the Name tool to define a constant value, such as a tax rate, that you frequently use in Excel formulas. Go to Insert | Name |
Define and type a name—TaxRate, for example. In the Refers to area, type the constant value and click on OK. For a 9 percent
tax rate, you would enter 0.09. For example, enter the formula =5000*TaxRate and Excel will use the constant value defined for
TaxRate and return 450.
Linking Cells to a Textbox or Object in Microsoft Excel
1.
2.
3.
4.
From the Drawing toolbar, select Text Box. Add a text box to the worksheet.
Select the Text Box, and press F2.
In the Formula bar, create a link to a cell by typing = and then selecting the cell.
The contents of the cell are displayed in the Text Box. For Example:
Insert Time/Date in Excel or Access
Here are a few keyboard shortcuts you can use to insert the current time and date in a Microsoft Access table or
Microsoft Excel spreadsheet.
Current date: Press CTRL+SEMICOLON
Current time: Press CTRL+SHIFT+ SEMICOLON
Current date and time: Press CTRL+ SEMICOLON then SPACE then CTRL+SHIFT+ SEMICOLON
In Access, this keyboard shortcut only works if you are entering data in the Datasheet or Form view.
Editor's Note: When you insert the date and time using this tip, the information remains static. To update this
information automatically, you must use the TODAY and NOW functions. To learn how to do this, search for Insert
the current date and time in a cell in Excel Help and then click Insert a date or time whose value is updated.
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Shortcuts for Using Names in Formulas
Next time you'd like to add a name to a formula you're writing:
1.
2.
3.
With the cursor positioned where you want to insert the name, press F3. The Paste Name dialog box
appears.
Using your up- and down-arrow keys, select the name that you want to insert (you can use the mouse, too,
but why take your hands off the keyboard?).
Press Enter.
Quickly Sum Any Row or Column of Data
1.
2.
Select the cell just beneath the column or just to the right of the row.
Click the AutoSum icon (on the Standard toolbar).
What you may not know is that you can get the same job done without so much as a glance at the mouse:
1.
2.
Select the cell just beneath the column or just to the right of the row.
Press Alt + = and press Enter.
Turn a Date into a Weekday
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Select the cell containing the date.
Right-click the cell and choose Format Cells from the shortcut menu.
Click the Number tab.
Under Category, select Custom and, in the Type box, type "dddd" (without the quotation marks).
Click OK.
Create Instant Range Names
You've got a huge table, and you want to turn all the row and column labels into names. Big job, right? Wrong again,
financial-statement breath. If your cursor is ANYWHERE WITHIN THE TABLE, you can get the whole job done with
three keystrokes:
1.
2.
3.
Press Ctrl + Shift + *. This keystroke selects the entire current table--that is, the current region enclosed by
empty rows and columns. (If your table ISN'T enclosed by blank rows and columns OR if your table contains
blank rows and columns, you have to select the table manually.)
Press Ctrl + Shift + F3. This keystroke displays the Create Names dialog box, with Top Row and Left
Column already selected!
Press Enter. This keystroke is the same as clicking OK.
Your names have been created.
Using Names in Formulas
If you've got names in your worksheet and you want to write formulas that refer to these names, try this:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Start typing your formula.
When you get to where you want to insert a name, press F3.
In the Paste Name dialog box, select the name you want to insert into your formula.
Click OK.
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5.
Continue entering your formula, repeating Steps 2 through 4 if you need to insert another name.
Not only have you spared yourself the digital (in both senses of the word) pain of typing the names, but you've also
eliminated the possibility of misspelling the name.
Help Entering Formulas
If you want help entering a formula --one that includes a function, that is--try this:
1.
2.
Type the name of the function, such as "=SUM" (without the quotation marks)
Press Ctrl + Shift + A
Excel displays the function's arguments RIGHT THERE IN THE CELL (and in the Formula bar); all you have to do is
replace the function arguments with cell addresses.
Autofill
AutoFill the last day of each month--even though they're not the same number of days apart.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Type the last day of a month--as in "6/30/99"--in one cell (without the quotation marks).
Type the last day of the next month--"7/31/99"--into the cell below or to the left (again, without quotation
marks).
Select both cells.
Using the AutoFill handle, drag to the left or down.
Excel understands that you want the last days of each month (including leap days, of course!).
Moving Around an Excel Worksheet
Today, we give you the handy Go To method. Suppose you want to select the range A1:Z52:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Select the cell at the top-left corner of the range you want to select (in this case, cell A1).
Choose Edit + Go To (OR press Ctrl + G).
In the Reference box, type the address of the cell at the bottom-right corner of the range you want to select
(in this case, Z52).
Hold down the Shift key.
Press Enter (or click OK).
The troublesome large range is selected without scrolling.
Copying Selected Characters
"If I have a column of text in which each cell contains eight characters, how might I create a second column in which
each cell contains only the first five of these characters? Is this possible?"
Yes. Suppose the column containing the eight-character cells is column A (starting in cell A1), and you want the
corresponding first-five-character entries in column B (starting in cell B1). Try this:
1.
2.
3.
In cell B1, type "=LEFT(A1,5)" (without the quotation marks).
Press Enter. The LEFT function, as entered, copies from cell A1 the first five characters from the left.
Choose Edit + Copy.
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4.
Select the remaining cells in column B that you want to copy the formula into and press Enter.
Name a Number
You may be familiar with using Excel's Name feature. This feature lets you name a cell (or range of cells) so that you
can refer to the cell (or range) by name rather than the more complex cell address in formulas.
But the Name feature has another use: You can use it to assign a name to a number that's NOT EVEN ENTERED IN
YOUR WORKSHEET. Suppose, for example, that a particular worksheet requires you to regularly multiply numbers
by the number .267. You can assign a name to the number .267--and use the name in your formulas--as follows:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Choose Insert + Name + Define.
Type a name for your multiplier--such as "profit" (without the quotation marks).
In the Refers To box, type the value--in this case, ".267" (without the quotation marks).
Click OK.
Now you can use this multiplier in a formula. For example, suppose you want to multiply a value in the cell A1 by this
named constant:
1.
2.
3.
Select an empty cell.
Type "=A1*profit" (without the quotation marks).
Press Enter.
Excel multiplies the contents of A1 by .267.
Using Goal Seek
You build a sales forecast in Excel, and the totals look SO good you decide to chart them. Only problem is that once
you chart them, you wish they looked a little better.
Our advice: Change the chart! Or, more precisely, use the chart to initiate a goal-seek operation, as follows:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Select the chart element--the bar or line--that you wish were a bit larger.
Drag the largest handle on the element to enlarge the element, making it about as large as you want it to be
(don't worry about being precise just yet).
In the Goal Seek dialog box--which appears as soon as you adjust the chart element--set the To Value field
to the exact value you want for the adjusted element.
In the By Changing text box, type the address of the cell you want to change to get the desired value.
Obviously, this must be a cell referenced in the formula that generates the value of the bar you adjusted.
Click OK.
Excel "raises the bar" on your chart and adjusts the selected cell accordingly.
SmartFill
By now you all know about Excel's SmartFill feature, which lets you quickly fill a range with successive numbers,
dates, and so on, simply by dragging two existing dates. But what you may not know is just how smart the feature is.
For example, if you want to fill Row 1 with the last day of each month, just do as follows:
1.
2.
In cell A1, type the last day of a month, as in "01/31/99" (without the quotation marks).
In cell A2, type the last day of the next month (in this example, "02/28/99"--again, without the quotation
marks).
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3.
4.
Select A1:A2.
Using the fill handle in the bottom right corner of the selection, drag across Row 1.
Excel fills each cell you drag over with the last day of each successive month. You can even use the same technique
to fill every other day, every third day, every 10 minutes, every three months, and so on. Go ahead, enjoy this new
and exciting knowledge!
Tracking Revisions
Excel tracks worksheet revisions so you can have some idea of what has been done to each sheet. To see these
tracks, do the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Click the sheet to make it active.
Choose Tools + Track Changes.
Choose Highlight Changes.
Click to check in the "Track changes while editing" box and then set the types of changes you want to
highlight.
You can choose to have the changes highlighted on screen or listed on a new sheet.
Working with Multiple Worksheets
Let's hope you never have to wrestle with complicated Excel documents. You know, the ones with lots and lots of
worksheets. But if you do, it's nice to know that you can see what's in that document at a glance. To see a list of all
that's in the document, do the following:
1.
2.
Choose File + Properties
In the Properties dialog box, click the Contents tab
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