In this short video I demonstrate how to create range names quickly based on labels. Range names are a powerful formula feature. I also demonstrate their use.
Category Archives: Tips & Tricks
General Format
The General format is Excel’s default format.
It doesn’t really do much. It can be handy to use though if Excel applies a format you don’t want, like a date or a percentage.
The keyboard shortcut to apply the General format is
Ctrl + Shift + ~
Be careful if you forget the Shift key as it will display formulas. If that happens, press it again (without the Shift key) and it will revert back to normal.
One Minute to Excel #28 – Eight More Charts in a Minute
Fast mouse work to the rescue
OK in the last video I cheated and used Sparkline charts to create 8 charts in a minute.
This time I set myself a real challenge to create 8 real charts in a minute.
Its close – check out the video and learn a few useful techniques.
Navigation Columns in Excel
Great for long reports
When working in long spreadsheets it can be a good idea to use a navigation column to make it easier to move between the different sections.
One Minute to Excel #27 – Eight Charts in a Minute
Sparklines to the rescue
Let’s see if I can create 8 charts in a minute – one for each state and territory in Australia
I cheat a little bit and use Sparkline charts. If you haven’t seen Sparklines before check out the video.
One Minute to Excel #26 – Fix AutoSum’s Weakness
Get the right range every time
AutoSum’s cryptonite is a blank cell – it stops AutoSum in its tracks every time.
Here’s how you can avoid AutoSum’s blind spot.
Stop Cafe Changing in Excel
A client has recently added a cafe to their budget and frustratingly Excel wants to put the accent above the e. Here’s how to stop that.
Excel and MYOB
Calculation issues
These two Apps don’t always play nicely together. MYOB has a bad habit of turning off calculation in its Excel files. Here’s how to fix it quickly.
Data Entry Formats in Excel [Video]
Format as you go
When you enter data into Excel you can format as you type. See how in this short video.
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The Magical N Function in Excel
Who you calling short?
One reason I like the N function is because it is Excel’s shortest function name. But it has quite a few useful features as well.
Capture an AutoCalculate Value in Excel
A new feature
A recent update to Excel has made a slight change to the AutoCalculate feature. You can copy a value by simply clicking on it.
One Minute to Excel #24 – 1,000 random dates
A RANDARRAY solution
Let’s say we need to do some testing and we need 1,000 random dates in 2022.
We can use a new function to make this easy to create and easy to change.
RANDARRAY usually works with numbers but in Excel dates are numbers, so we get it to create random dates for us.
I set myself a challenge to do this in less than minute – see how I went in the video below.
Hyperlink to a Specific Cell in Excel
Range name to the rescue
When you create a hyperlink manually in Excel it captures the cell reference. If you insert rows the cell reference in the hyperlink doesn’t update. If you need it to update, this is what you need to do.
Clear the Filter in One Column Only in Excel
Keyboard shortcut
When you have multiple filters across columns you may want to clear just the filter in one column. There is a keyboard technique to do that.
Selecting the Cell in the First Row in a Column in Excel
Two shortcuts
There is a keyboard shortcut to select the first column in a row, but as far as I know there is no shortcut for the first row in a column.
Excel Chart Label Line Break
When adding labels to a chart sometimes you need a line break. Well it is possible.
Display a New Window
If you have two or more screens (I have three) you can have separate Excel windows on separate screens. This can make copying and linking much easier.
The keyboard shortcut to open a new window in the current file is Alt W N pressed in sequence not held down.
This allows you to have the same file visible in two separate windows. Each window can have a separate sheet.
The New Window icon is on the View ribbon tab.
Excel and Emojis
Have some fun with emojis
Yes, you can use emojis (those little images you see in text messages, tweets and posts) in Excel. You can even use them in formulas. ?
Input Data Display Hack for Excel
Getting the format white
When creating data input sheets, it is a good idea to use a table layout. Sometimes they can end up looking a little bit busy, especially if you are repeating entries down rows. To help users focus on what they need to do, you can use a little formatting hack to make the layout look a little less cluttered.
One Minute to Excel #23 – Text numbers to real number again
Another solution
One thing you learn quickly about Excel is that there are many ways to achieve the same outcome.
This is another example. In an earlier video I showed two separate ways to convert text numbers into real numbers.
Well, I have just learned another way. An Excel MVP Rick Rothstein shared a third way. I tweaked it and share a keyboard shortcut to do it as well.
Hope you enjoy it.
Added Nov 27, 2021
If you use Text to Columns for other conversion in the same session, you may need to use Alt A E W F as the Delimiter defaults may interfere with the conversion.
Display an Excel Pop-up Message Without a Macro
Data Validation to the rescue
Would you like to display a pop-up message when a user enters a value into a cell? You don’t need a macro to achieve this.
Another Excel Custom List Tweak
Adding Total to the end
I posted recently about how you can amend a custom list to change the sequence of a slicer – read it here. Here is another tweak I learned from Mr Excel (Bill Jelen).
Comma Format
The comma format for numbers is pretty popular.
There are a couple of keyboard shortcuts to apply it.
Hold the Ctrl and Shift keys down and press 1 on the keyboard.
The next one uses the Alt key. Use the left Alt key. Keys pressed in sequence (don’t hold them down).
Alt H K
Remember Hong Kong.
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Excel Alt key Shortcuts
Short video at bottom of post
The Alt key offers a way to use icons without using the mouse. In some cases, these Alt key shortcuts can be quicker than using the mouse.
One Minute to Excel #22 – Normalise a budget
Power Query can be quick
The standard budget layout isn’t great for pivot tables. You can easily and quickly convert it in to data using Power Query
See now in this short video.
Monitor Cells with Excel’s Watch Window
Don't wait, watch
When you are developing a file for a report, budget or forecast you may need to keep track of certain cells. They could be validations or profits or some other important value. The Watch Window can help you monitor multiple cells in one place.
In the Formulas tab in the Formula Auditing section is the Watch Window icon.
Clicking the icon opens the Watch Window. It will be blank.
You can click the Add Watch button to add a cell to monitor. You can chose cells from any sheet.
Click Add to watch the cell. You can widen the Watch Window and change column widths as well.
You can click the column headings to sort by the column.
You can also select a range to watch. but it will list the range as a series of cells – see images below.
When you save and close the file the watch entries are saved. When you open the file the Watch Window won’t be open, you will have to re-open it.
The shortcut Alt M W (pressed in sequence, not held down) will open the Watch Window. The same shortcut also closes the Watch Window.
Related Posts
One Minute to Excel #21 – Hiding Zeroes
Two ways
If you want to display a blank cell instead of a zero there are two ways to do it.
See both in this short video.
One Minute to Excel #20 – Custom Lists
Built-in feature
Do you have a list or lists that you use all the time? Would you like to write the first entry and then drag it like January to get the rest of the list? Here’s how.
Back when text was just text
Text functions revisited
20 years ago my last article for the Accountants Weekly magazine was published. They spelled my name wrong after getting it right for all the other articles, maybe that’s why I stopped.
One Minute to Excel #19 – Skip Blanks
Paste Special Technique
If you have data that has blanks in it you may be able to combine columns using Paste Special – Skip Blanks.