Top 20 Microsoft Excel Tips & Tricks

Summary

In this video, Kevin shares his top 20 tips and tricks for mastering Microsoft Excel, guiding viewers through time-saving features and powerful functions. From importing data via photos, using Excel on the web, and leveraging Ideas for insights, to mastering formulas, macros, data types, pivot tables, and XLOOKUP, he covers practical strategies for both beginners and advanced users. Kevin also demonstrates how to automate tasks, create dropdown lists, pull live data from the web, and collaborate in real time. This comprehensive guide equips viewers with essential techniques to work smarter, streamline workflows, and harness the full potential of Excel.

Takeaways

• 😀 Use the Microsoft Office app to convert photos of tables into Excel data, making it easy to import and work with real-world information.
• 😀 You can use Excel for free online at office.com, enabling access to core features without the need for installation.
• 😀 Excel’s 'Ideas' feature offers AI-powered insights by allowing you to ask questions about your data and instantly get suggestions.
• 😀 Define names for cells or ranges in Excel to make formulas easier to understand and manage, such as naming a revenue cell instead of using complex references.
• 😀 Master absolute and relative references in formulas to control how cell references adjust when copying formulas across rows and columns.
• 😀 Automate repetitive tasks by recording macros, saving time and effort on tasks you need to perform regularly.
• 😀 Excel's data types (e.g., Stocks and Geography) allow you to pull in live data, like stock prices or population information, directly into your spreadsheet.
• 😀 XLOOKUP function simplifies lookup operations in Excel, replacing older functions like VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP for more flexibility and ease of use.
• 😀 Use SUMIF, COUNTIF, and IF functions to perform conditional calculations, count values, and apply logic tests to streamline data analysis.
• 😀 Excel allows you to create and customize pivot tables for summarizing complex data, and pivot charts help visualize those summaries.
• 😀 By using dropdown lists in data validation, you can minimize errors during data entry, making your spreadsheets more accurate and efficient.
• 😀 Pull data directly from the web into Excel using the 'From Web' feature, and set it to refresh automatically to keep data up to date.
• 😀 Share Excel files in real-time with collaborators via OneDrive or SharePoint, and use the comments feature to track feedback and edits.

Q & A

How can you convert a photo of data into an Excel table using a mobile device?

Download the Microsoft Office app on your iPhone or Android. Open the app, click on 'Actions', select 'Image to Table', take a photo of your data, select the columns to import, and confirm. The data will be digitized and can be opened in Excel.

Is it possible to use Microsoft Excel without purchasing the software?

Yes. You can use Excel for free on the web by visiting office.com, logging in or creating a free Microsoft account, and starting a new workbook or using templates.

What is the purpose of the 'Ideas' feature in Excel?

The 'Ideas' feature analyzes your data and generates insights, charts, and summaries automatically. You can also ask natural language questions about your data to extract specific information.

How do absolute and relative references differ in Excel formulas?

Relative references adjust automatically when copied to other cells, while absolute references remain fixed. Pressing F4 toggles between relative, absolute, and partially locked references.

How can you automate repetitive tasks in Excel?

You can use Macros. Record a macro via 'View → Macros → Record Macro', perform the steps, stop recording, and then run the macro to repeat the steps automatically.

What are data types in Excel, and how can they be used?

Data types, like Geography and Stocks, allow you to enrich cells with structured data. You can convert a cell to a data type and then pull in additional information, such as population or unemployment rate, using the '+' icon.

What advantages does XLOOKUP have over VLOOKUP or HLOOKUP?

XLOOKUP can replace both VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP. It allows searching for a value in a column or row and returning a corresponding value, supports exact matches, and works with dynamic ranges using absolute references.

How can you sum or count values conditionally in Excel?

Use SUMIF to sum values that meet specific criteria and COUNTIF to count cells that meet a condition. Both functions require specifying a range, criteria, and (for SUMIF) the sum range.

How can you pull live data from the web into Excel?

Use 'Data → From Web', enter the URL, and load the table. Optionally, clean the data using Power Query Editor. You can set the refresh frequency to update automatically.

What are some ways to collaborate with others in Excel?

Save your file to OneDrive or SharePoint and click 'Share'. You can set permissions (edit or view), expiration dates, passwords, and use comments to communicate in real time with multiple collaborators.

How can pivot tables help analyze data efficiently?

Pivot tables allow summarizing, filtering, and visualizing large datasets without writing formulas. Fields can be dragged into rows, columns, or values, and pivot charts can be created to visualize trends dynamically.

How can you combine text from multiple cells into one in Excel?

You can use the CONCAT function (`=CONCAT(A1, ' ', B1)`) or use Flash Fill, which detects patterns when you type the desired output and automatically fills the remaining cells.

What is the benefit of freezing panes in Excel?

Freezing panes keeps specific rows or columns visible while scrolling, making it easier to navigate and reference headers or key data in large spreadsheets.