Excel Tips and Techniques

Compiled by Mike Splane January 2004 Sources: PC Magazine, Microsofts online tutorials, Karen Jollys Excel 97 for Windows

Formatting:

The font color, border, and background color drop-down menus are moveable. Left click above the drop down arrow on the menu bar to display the menu palette. Click on the double lines at the top of the palette and drag.
Move the formatting menus:

To enter a fraction, start with a space. To enter mixed numbers and fractions into cells: type in the integers, press Spacebar, then type in the fraction. To see the decimal equivalent of the fraction: click on the cell and look on the Formula bar.
Format numbers as fractions:

If you enter a value containing a slash (/) or hyphen (-), and that value also complies with the Windows standard date format, Excel will interpret your entry as a serial date value and format the entry accordingly. Similarly, Excel will format any value that contains a colon (:) as a time value. Or you can follow the time value with an A or P, representing AM and PM, respectively.
Automatic formatting of dates and time:

To replace a formula or function with the actual value of a cell, select the cell, then choose Copy from the Edit menu. Next, from the Edit menu, select Paste Special, Values. OK.
Replace formulas with values:

To prevent text from spilling over into adjacent cells, select a group of cells, right-click then choose Format Cells. Click on the Alignment tab then check the Wrap Text option.
Wrap text in cells:

To limit information that can be entered into a worksheet, highlight the cell, column, or row that you wish to limit. Open the Data menu. Select Validation. Click the Settings tab in the Data Validation dialog box that appears. Click the down arrow next to the Allow box to select the type of numbers to allow. In the Data box, enter
Limit types of information entered into a worksheet:

the range of values to allow. Customize the error box by clicking on the Error Alert tab. Click OK to save settings.

When you copy a range of data (several columns), you can't automatically paste the column widths that accommodate your data. You must first select the data you want to copy and press Ctrl + C. Click a destination cell, and press Ctrl + V to paste the data to the new range. Right-click the new range and choose Paste Special. Select the Column Widths option in the Paste section and click OK. When you return to your worksheet, the columns in the new range will be the same width as the columns in the original range.
Adjust column widths when pasting:

Data Menu, Data Validation, Settings tab. For Allow criteria choose list. In the Source box, type in a list of items separated by commas. Or select a worksheet range that contains the list.
To format a cell as a pull down list:

To remove all custom formatting from a cell or range:

Edit Menu, Clear, Formats.

To add color to the worksheet tabs:

Right click on a tab. Choose Tab Color. Pick a color.

Working with Data

Select the data with the mouse, including a blank column or row, or both, adjacent to the range of data. Click the AutoSum button.
To quickly cross-foot data ranges with AutoSum:

Using comparative signs (equals, greater than, less than) within a formula produces an output of either true or false. The < or > sign must precede the = sign if both are used. For example, g6 >= k8 will give values of either true or false, depending on the values in cells g6 and k8. This type of formula is used as a test condition for the IF function. Depending on the true/false value of the formula an IF function generates different output.
Using the IF function:

Select the cell with the formula to be forced to produce a specific value. Open the Tools menu and choose Goal Seek to display the Goal Seek dialog box.
Utilize Excel's goal seek feature:

The active cell will be displayed in the Set Cell text box. In the To Value box, enter the target value for the formula cell to reach. In the By Changing Cell box, enter the input cell. Click OK and the Goal Seek process will start and will state whether it found a solution. If it did, the worksheet values will be changed accordingly.

To select cells in a worksheet while viewing information in a dialog box or wizard, click the small grid button with a red arrow in it, usually to the right of a field box. The dialog box or wizard will then shrink to a single line. Use the mouse to select a cell or range of cells. Then click the grid button again to restore the dialog box or wizard.
Select cells while viewing information in a dialog box:

Use the above technique. A new grid automatically opens for adding additional data ranges.
To select multiple ranges of data in a dialog box:

first, create a text box. Next, click inside the text box. Then, in the Formula bar, type an equal (=) sign. Finally, select the worksheet cell that contains the data or text you want shown in your text box and press Enter. You may instead choose to type the reference to the worksheet cell. But remember to include the sheet name followed by an exclamation point, for example, Sheet1!F2, before pressing Enter. You can add a text box to your worksheet by using the text box tool on the Drawing toolbar.
To link a text box to a worksheet cell:

Move your mouse pointer to the edge of a cell in the data range and double click on the right side or bottom of a cell.
To move the cell selector to an edge of a data range.

Highlight the data that needs to be separated. Now go to the Data menu, Text into Columns choice.
To separate first and last names from one cell into two:

Click in the column where you want subtotals. Click on Data, then Subtotals. Select from the list boxes.
To get subtotals of individual categories:

Working with comments:

Edit or create a comment in the current cell: Shift-F2.

Move a comment that's being edited: Esc, Arrow keys. Close a comment that's being edited: Esc, Esc. Delete a comment: Select the cell with the comment. Edit Menu, Clear submenu, Comments

Highlight the range of data, including the titles. Copy it. Move the cursor to a new location. From the Edit Menu, Paste Special, Transpose, Enter. Press Escape to clear the marquee around your original table.
Transposing ranges of data in a table format:

Hold Control while selecting multiple worksheet tabs. Changes made in one worksheet will be made in all of the selected worksheets. Hold Control and click on any worksheet tab when finished.
To enter data or format into multiple worksheets simultaneously:

Printing

To copy print settings from one sheet to another,

select the sheet with the settings you want to copy. Then, hold down the Shift (or Ctrl) key and click on the tab (or tabs) of the other sheet (or sheets) you want to copy the settings to. At this point, choose File, Page Setup, and click OK. By doing so, you will copy all the basic print settings from the active sheet to all the others in your temporary group. (You'll also copy header and footer settings.)

Open the File menu and choose Page Setup. Click the Sheet tab. Click the Rows to Repeat at Top button and press Enter, then click Print.
Print column heads on each Excel page:

Right click on any tab and choose select all sheets. In File menu, Page Setup Submenu, Headers/Footers Tab, select the desired option from the header pull down box for the Work Book name. Use the footer pull down box to add the Work Sheet names.
To print Workbook or Worksheet names on the hard copy:

Data Entry

Highlight the data and copy it. In Excel, choose an empty sheet. Paste in cell A1. If this doesnt copy your entire table: Undo Control-Z, select the entire worksheet Control-A, and paste Control V. Click on Ok to clear the size error message.
Copy a table from the web:

Highlight a range. Type in first piece of data and press enter. Data appears in upper left hand cell. Enter additional items of data, pressing enter after each one. The data entry points moves down, then back to top of range in adjacent right-hand column.
Filling a data range quickly:

To enter a formula or date into several cells at once, select the desired range, type the information, then press Ctrl + Enter.
Enter information into several cells:

Click on the tabs while holding control. Data entered in one sheet will appear in all selected sheets. You can enter into more than one cell. When finished, click a tab to select a specific sheet.
Enter data to multiple sheets.

Using AutoFill to enter a data series:

Highlight a row of cells containing a series of data. Move

the mouse to the lower right hand corner of the last cell on the right. The AutoFill handle + appears. Drag the AutoFill handle to the right.

Select data as above. When AutoFill handle appears, drag from right to left, continuing past the starting point of your data.
Using AutoFill to the left of the data:

Highlight several columns and double clicking to right of the right hand one. Select rows then double click below the row furthest down the sheet.
AutoFormat width or height:

Type in =. Click on the cell you are using as a reference in the formula. To make it an absolute cell reference, select a cell then use the F4 key (it cycles through options). Type in any required symbols between mouse clicks. Note that odd shaped sets of individual cells and/or ranges can be separated by a comma. Example: =sum(a2:d3,c7,g5)
Point and Click method of entering formulas:

Enter the formula in the upper row of the range or cell in the column. Highlight the formula and the area below it where you want to copy the formula. Control-D.
To quickly copy a formula into a column or range:

Enter the formula in the left-hand column of the range or cell of the row. Highlight the formula and the area to the right where you want to copy the formula. Control-R.
To quickly copy a formula into a row or range:

Edit the formula, adding +N (Your comment). Include quotation marks and parentheses. The comment can be read in the formula box but wont affect your calculations. For example: =A2+B3 +N(Sums the values of cells A2 and B3).
To add a comment (documentation) to a formula:

To move ranges of data:

Select, drag, and drop.

To copy ranges of data with Mouse:

Select, drag, and drop while pressing the Control key

To copy a range of data with keyboard:

Select the range then click on upper left corner cell of the

new data range and hit enter.

To copy to multiple areas:

Hold down the Control key while repositioning the cursor and

pressing Enter.

Copy the data range from the source document. From the Edit Menu, Choose Paste Special. Click the Paste button. Select Microsoft Excel Worksheet Object. Click Ok. This is a static copy. Changes to the data in either file do not affect the date in the other file.
To embed data from Excel into an Office application:

Copy the data range from the source document. From the Edit Menu, Choose Paste Special. Click the Paste Link button. Select Microsoft Excel Worksheet Object. Click Ok. This is a dynamically updated copy. Changes to the data in either file will change it in both.
To link data from Excel into an Office application:

Data Selection:

Press the Control key while using the mouse to select multiple cells, data ranges, columns, rows, or worksheet tabs.
Data selection of multiple areas:

If you use the mouse to highlight a range of too many or too few cells, use the Shift and Arrow keys to modify your selection.
Modify the area of a selected range:

To select a single column:

Put the cursor in the column then control-spacebar, or click on the

column letter.

To select a single row:

Put the cursor in the row then shift-spacebar, or click on the number.

To select the entire worksheet:

Control A or click on the blank cell in upper left corner.

Click the cell in the upper left corner. Hold down the shift key. Click the opposite corner. Using the F8 key instead of Shift also works. Press F8 again when finished.
To select a range:

To select multiple ranges:

Press Control then repeat the above procedure in another area.

To select all worksheets:

Right click on any tab and choose Select All Sheets.

Move entire columns:

Highlight the column letters. Hold down the Shift key. Drag.

Move entire rows:

Highlight the row numbers. Hold down the Shift key. Drag.

Keyboard Shortcuts:

Keyboard Formatting

Control 0 = Hide column Control 1 = Format Menu Control 2 = Bold Control 3 = Italics Control 4 = Underline Control 5 = Strikethrough Control 9 = Hide Row Keyboard Shortcut: Ctrl + ; (semicolon)

Enter the date:

Enter the Time:

Keyboard Shortcut: Ctrl + : (colon)

To move between worksheets:

Control + PageUp or PageDown

Copy the value from the cell above the current cell:

Ctrl-Shift + " (quotation mark).

Copy the formula from the cell above the current cell:

Ctrl + ' (apostrophe).

Create a graph:

Select the data range in the worksheet. Press the F11 key.

Open the format dialog box:

Press Ctrl + 1. (That's the number 1, not a lowercase L.)

To auto-format data:

Type a $, -, decimal point or % sign when entering numbers.

Currency format:

Control + Shift + $

General number format:

Control + Shift + ~

Comma number format:

Control + Shift + !

Percentage number format:

Control + Shift + %

Unhide column:

Shift + Control + )

Unhide row:

Shift + Control + (

AutoSum:

ALT + Enter

To apply/remove borders to all cells:

Control + Shift + & / Control + Shift + _

To access the Paste Function dialog box:

Shift + F3

To trace errors:

Select the cell with the formula in question. Press Ctrl + Shift + [

Excel highlights all cells that play into the value of the selected cell.

To apply/remove strike-through formatting to a cell:

Control + 5 Example: strikethrough

Charts

Us the xy scatter diagram option to build the chart. Right click on the axis and a tab that says scaling becomes available. This one allows you to check logarithmic on both axes .
To create a log-log chart: