Excel Tips and Tricks:Beginner

David “DK” KornegayDude Community Director

Core Buttons We’ll Use in Excel

“Quick Access” ToolbarA. Right-click on

your top menu, choose “Customize Quick Access Toolbar” for features you use often, or

B. right-click on a menu function to add it to the toolbar

Spreadsheet VernacularColumns

Sheets

Rows Cell

Create a new sheetRight-click to change color, set

security, etc.

Visual Indicators / Easy Functions

» Your mouse icon changes (select vs. move vs. drag a cell)

» Cell has a Comment

» Cell has an error or inconsistencytip: click cell to get insight

» Select a series of cells and get quick functionsIncludes most used formulas, charts and more

Visual Indicators / Easy Functions» Drag to save typing or copying

tip: drag with right button vs. left for more options

» Sanity check your dragtip: this option differs based on the data (e.g., number vs. date)

vs.vs.

Data Entry Tricks

» COPY/PASTE SPECIAL» Drag/dropping and right drag/dropping» FILL options: dragging or use of shortcuts

like CTRL + D» Text» Numbers» Dates

» Remove Duplicates» Text to Columns

» AutoSplit via Flash Fill

Formatting, Finding, Filtering, Printing

» Freezing Panes: Maintain the column or row headers while scrolling through report

» Sorting: Arrange the report in alphabetical or numerical order» Filtering: Temporarily remove unwanted fields from the report

» Filtering by word or number» Filtering by color

» Sizing Your Sheet: Quickly resize column width or row height» Text Wrapping: Allows text to fit in a preset column width

Formatting, Finding, Filtering, Printing

» Backspace v. Delete: Use the backspace key to clear out contents, use delete to completely delete row or column

» Delete Column vs. Row» Number/Text/Date Formatting: drop down to modify the visual

(e.g., long date vs. short date)» Find: Use CTRL + F to quickly find a specific word or phrase» Find & Replace: Use CTRL + H to quickly find and replace a specific

word or phrase» Find & Replace for certain cells: Select only certain cells, then use

CTRL + H to quickly find and replace

Formatting, Finding, Filtering, Printing

» Cell Formatting: Display the data the way you would like via STYLES menu and FORMAT PAINTER brush

» Conditional Formatting: Display the data the way you would like in a custom visual

» Hiding Data: Hide data you don’t want to view» Print Views: button at the bottom and PAGE LAYOUT menu

» NOTE: Save as PDF will be dependent upon this also

Basic Formulas

» Sum, Average or Count a column or row» Selecting cells tips (using CTRL, commas, etc.)» FORMULAS menu for Showing a formula, its dependents, etc.

» Locking down cell ranges with $ » Named Ranges and using them in a Formula» NetWorkDays with using holidays in another tab

What We’ll Cover in Excel Advanced

» Data Quality» Advanced

Formulas» Pivot Tables» Pivot Charts» Pivot Slicers

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Excel Tips and Tricks:Beginner

David “DK” KornegayDude Community Director