Selecting Ranges

When selecting a range with the mouse or keyboard, keep an eye on the Name Box – top left corner of the screen, just above the grid.

It tells you how many rows (R) and columns (C) you have already selected – see image below.

Select_RangeAs soon as you release the mouse, or stop using the keyboard, the values will disappear. You have to be quick to see it.


Date Entry Tricks

When entering dates from the current calendar year you can leave out the year. Excel assumes the current year.

Entering 27/7 and pressing Enter will enter 27/7/16. I wrote this post in 2016.

Whatever you enter is first considered as dd/mm. If that doesn’t make sense eg 9/15 then mm/yy if used.

If you enter a month and year combination it assumes the first of the month.

For example entering 9/15 will enter the 1/9/15.

You can use the forward slash / or the dash – between values in a date and Excel will recognise the date.

Excel treats 9/15 the same as 9-15.

To entry today’s date use Ctrl + ;


Always Refer to Cell A1

If you need to ALWAYS refer to cell A1, regardless of whether row or columns are inserted or deleted, then use the following formula.

=INDIRECT("A1")

This will always display the entry in cell A1 on the current sheet.

Another formula that always refers to cell A1 on the current sheet is

=INDEX(1:1048576,1,1)


I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

Maya Angelou