Simple Excel Shortcuts

14 Simple Excel Shortcuts, Tips & Tricks
1) Pivot Tables
Pivot Tables are used to reorganize data in a spreadsheet. They
won't change the data that you have, but they can sum up values and
compare different information in your spreadsheet, depending on what
you'd like them to do.
Let's take a look at an example. Let's say I want to take a look at how many
people are in each house at Hogwarts. You may be thinking that I don't
have too much data, but for longer data sets, this will come in handy.
To create the Pivot Table, I go to Data > Pivot Table. Excel will automatically
populate your Pivot Table, but you can always change around the order of
the data. Then, you have four options to choose from.
1. Report Filter: This allows you to only look at certain rows in your
dataset. For example, if I wanted to create a filter by house, I could
choose to only include students in Gryffindor instead of all students.
2. Column Labels: These could be your headers in the dataset.
3. Row Labels: These could be your rows in the dataset. Both Row and
Clumn labels can contain data from your columns (e.g. First Name
can be dragged to either the Row or Column label -- it just depends
on how you want to see the data.)
4. Value: This section allows you to look at your data differently. Instead
of just pulling in any numeric value, you can sum, count, average,
max, min, count numbers, or do a few other manipulations with your
data. In fact, by default, when you drag a field to Value, it always
does a count.
Since I want to count the number of students in each house, I'll go to the
Pivot Table and drag the House column to both the Row Labels and the
Values. This will sum up the number of students associated with each
house.
2) Add More Than One New Row or Column

As you play around with your data, you might find you're constantly needing
to add more rows and columns. Sometimes, you may even need to
add hundreds of rows. Doing this one-by-one would be super tedious.
Luckily, there's always an easier way.
To add multiple rows or columns in a spreadsheet, highlight the same
number of preexisting rows or columns that you want to add. Then, rightclick and select "Insert."
In the example below, I want to add an additional three rows. By
highlighting three rows and then clicking insert, I'm able to add an
additional three blank rows into my spreadsheet quickly and easily.
3) Filters
When you're looking at very large data sets, you don't usually need to be
looking at every single row at the same time. Sometimes, you only want to
look at data that fit into certain criteria. That's where filters come in.
Filters allow you to pare down your data to only look at certain rows at one
time. In Excel, a filter can be added to each column in your data -- and from
there, you can then choose which cells you want to view at once.
Let's take a look at the example below. Add a filter by clicking the Data tab
and selecting "Filter." Clicking the arrow next to the column headers and
you'll be able to choose whether you want your data to be organizing in
ascending or descending order, as well as which specific rows you want to
show.
In my Harry Potter example, let's say I only want to see the students in
Gryffindor. By selecting the Gryffindor filter, the other rows disappear.
Pro Tip: Copy and paste the values in the spreadsheet when a Filter is on
to do additional analysis in another spreadsheet.
4) Remove Duplicates
Larger data sets tend to have duplicate content. You may have a list of
multiple contacts in a company and only want to see the number of
companies you have. In situations like this, removing the duplicates comes
in quite handy.
To remove your duplicates, highlight the row or column that you want to
remove duplicates of. Then, go to the Data tab, and select "Remove
Duplicates" (under Tools). A pop-up will appear to confirm which data you
want to work with. Select "Remove Duplicates," and you're good to go.
You can also use this feature to remove an entire row based on a duplicate
column value. So if you have three rows with Harry Potter's information and
you only need to see one, then you can select the whole dataset and then
remove duplicates based on email. Your resulting list will have only unique
names without any duplicates.
5) Transpose
When you have low rows of data in your spreadsheet, you might decide you
actually want to transform the items in one of those rows into columns (or
vice versa). It would take a lot of time to copy and paste each individual
header -- but what the transpose feature allows you to do is simply move
your row data into columns, or the other way around.
Start by highlighting the column that you want to transpose into rows. Rightclick it, and then select "Copy." Next, select the cells on your spreadsheet
where you want your first row or column to begin. Right-click on the cell,
and then select "Paste Special." A module will appear -- at the bottom,
you'll see an option to transpose. Check that box and select OK. Your
column will now be transferred to a row or vise versa.
6) Text to Columns
What if you want to split out information that's in one cell into two different
cells? For example, maybe you want to pull out someone's company name
through their email address. Or perhaps you want to separate someone's
full name into a first and last name for your email marketing templates.
Thanks to Excel, both are possible. First, highlight the column that you want
to split up. Next, go to the Data tab and select "Text to Columns." A module
will appear with additional information.
First, you need to select either "Delimited" or "Fixed Width."
"Delimited" means you want to break up the column based on
characters such as commas, spaces, or tabs.
"Fixed Width" means you want to select the exact location on all the
columns that you want the split to occur.
In the example case below, let's select "Delimited" so we can separate the
full name into first name and last name.
Then, it's time to choose the Delimiters. This could be a tab, semi-colon,
comma, space, or something else. ("Something else" could be the "@" sign
used in an email address, for example.) In our example, let's choose the
space. Excel will then show you a preview of what your new columns will
look like.
When you're happy with the preview, press "Next." This page will allow you
to select Advanced Formats if you choose to. When you're done, click
"Finish."
Excel Formulas
7) Simple Calculations
In addition to doing pretty complex calculations, Excel can help you
do simple arithmetic like adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing any of
your data.
To add, use the + sign.
To subtract, use the - sign.
To multiply, use the * sign.
To divide, use the / sign.
You can also use parenthesis to ensure certain calculations are done first.
In the example below (10+10*10), the second and third 10 were multipled
together before adding the additional 10. However, if we made it
(10+10)*10, the first and second 10 would be added together first.
Bonus: If you want the average of a set of numbers, you can use the
formula=AVERAGE(Cell Range). If you want to sum up a column of
numbers, you can use the formula =SUM(Cell Range).
8) Conditional Formatting Formula

Conditional formatting allows you to change a cell's color based on the
information within the cell. For example, if you want to flag certain numbers
that are above average or in the top 10% of the data in your spreadsheet,
you can do that. If you want to color code commonalities between different
rows in Excel, you can do that. This will help you quickly see information
the is important to you.
To get started, highlight the group of cells you want to use conditional
formatting on. Then, choose "Conditional Formatting" from the Home menu
and select your logic from the dropdown. (You can also create your own
rule if you want something different.) A window will pop up that prompts you
to provide more information about your formatting rule. Select "OK" when
you're done, and you should see your results automatically appear.
9) IF Statement
Sometimes, we don't want to count the number of times a value appears.
Instead, we want to input different information into a cell if there is a
corresponding cell with that information.
For example, in the situation below, I want to award ten points to everyone
who belongs in the Gryffindor house. Instead of manually typing in 10's
next to each Gryffindor student's name, I can use the IF THEN Excel
formula to say that if the student is in Gryffindor, then they should get ten
points.
The formula: IF(logical_test, value_if_true, value of false)
Example Shown Below: =IF(D2="Gryffindor","10","0")
In general terms, the formula would be IF(Logical Test, value of true, value
of false). Let's dig into each of these variables.
Logical_Test: The logical test is the "IF" part of the statement. In this
case, the logic is D2="Gryffindor" because we want to make sure that
the cell corresponding with the student says "Gryffindor." Make sure
to put Gryffindor in quotation marks here.
Value_if_True: This is what we want the cell to show if the value
is true. In this case, we want the cell to show "10" to indicate that the
student was awarded the 10 points. Only use quotation marks if you
want the result to be text instead of a number.
Value_if_False: This is what we want the cell to show if the value
is false. In this case, for any student not in Gryffindor, we want the
cell to show "0" to show 0 points. Only use quotation marks if you
want the result to be text instead of a number.
Note: In the example above, I awarded 10 points to everyone in Gryffindor.

If I later wanted to sum the total number of points, I wouldn't be able to
because the 10's are in quotes, thus making them text and not a number
that Excel can sum.
10) Dollar Signs

Have you ever seen a dollar sign in an Excel formula? When used in a
formula, it isn't representing an American dollar; instead, it makes sure that
the exact column and row are held the same even if you copy the same
formula in adjacent rows.
You see, a cell reference -- when you refer to cell A5 from cell C5, for
example -- is relative by default. In that case, you're actually referring to a
cell that's five columns to the left (C minus A) and in the same row (5). This
is called a relative formula. When you copy a relative formula from one cell
to another, it'll adjust the values in the formula based on where it's moved.
But sometimes, we want those values to stay the same no matter whether
they're moved around or not -- and we can do that by making the formula in
the cell into what's called an absolute formula.
To change the relative formula (=A5+C5) into an absolute formula, we'd
precede the row and column values by dollar signs, like this: (=$A$5+
$C$5). (Learn more on Microsoft Office's support page here.)
Excel Functions
11) VLOOKUP Function
Have you ever had two sets of data on two different spreadsheets that you
want to combine into a single spreadsheet?
For example, you might have a list of people's names next to their email
addresses in one spreadsheet, and a list of those same people's email
addresses next to their company names in the other -- but you want the
names, email addresses, and company names of those people to appear in
one place.
I have to combine data sets like this a lot -- and when I do, the VLOOKUP is
my go-to formula. Before you use the formula, though, be absolutely sure
that you have at least one column that appears identically in both places.
Scour your data sets to make sure the column of data you're using to
combine your information is exactly the same, including no extra spaces.
The formula: =VLOOKUP(lookup value, table array, column number,
[range lookup])
The formula with variables from our example
below: =VLOOKUP(C2,Sheet2!A:B,2,FALSE)
In this formula, there are several variables. The following is true when you
want to combine information in Sheet 1 and Sheet 2 onto Sheet 1.
Lookup Value: This is the identical value you have in both
spreadsheets. Choose the first value in your first spreadsheet. In the
example that follows, this means the first email address on the list, or
cell 2 (C2).
Table Array: The range of columns on Sheet 2 you're going to pull
your data from, including the column of data identical to your lookup
value (in our example, email addresses) in Sheet 1 as well as the
column of data you're trying to copy to Sheet 1. In our example, this

is "Sheet2!A:B." "A" means Column A in Sheet 2, which is the column
in Sheet 2 where the data identical to our lookup value (email) in
Sheet 1 is listed. The "B" means Column B, which contains the
information that's only available in Sheet 2 that you want to translate
to Sheet 1.
Column Number: If the table array (the range of columns you just
indicated) this tells Excel which column the new data you want to
copy to Sheet 1 is located in. In our example, this would be the
column that "House" is located in. "House" is the second column in
our range of columns (table array), so our column number is 2.
[Note: Your range can be more than two columns. For example, if
there are three columns on Sheet 2 -- Email, Age, and House -- and
you still want to bring House onto Sheet 1, you can still use a
VLOOKUP. You just need to change the "2" to a "3" so it pulls back
the value in the third column: =VLOOKUP(C2:Sheet2!A:C,3,false).]
Range Lookup: Use FALSE to ensure you pull in only exact value
matches.
In the example below, Sheet 1 and Sheet 2 contain lists describing different
information about the same people, and the common thread between the
two is their email addresses. Let's say we want to combine both datasets so
that all the house information from Sheet 2 translates over to Sheet 1.
So when we type in the formula =VLOOKUP(C2,Sheet2!A:B,2,FALSE),

we bring all the house data into Sheet 1.
We've also written a full post about how to use the VLOOKUP function
here (complete with video tutorial) if you still feel confused.
Keep in mind that VLOOKUP will only pull back values from the second
sheet that are to the right of the column containing your identical
data. This can lead to some limitations, which is why some people prefer to
use the INDEX and MATCH functions instead.
12) INDEX MATCH

Like VLOOKUP, the INDEX and MATCH functions pull in data from another
dataset into one central location. Here are the main differences:
1. VLOOKUP is a much simpler formula. If you're working with large
data sets that would require thousands of lookups, then using
the INDEX MATCH function will significantly decrease load time in
Excel.
2. INDEX MATCH formulas work right-to-left, whereas VLOOKUP
formulas only work as a left-to-right lookup. In other words, if you
need to do a lookup that has a lookup column to the right of the

results column, then you'd have to rearrange those columns in order
to do a VLOOKUP. This can be tedious with large datasets and/or
lead to errors.
So if I want to combine information in Sheet 1 and Sheet 2 onto Sheet 1,
but the column values in Sheets 1 and 2 aren't the same, then to do a
VLOOKUP, I would need to switch around my columns. In this case, I'd
choose to do an INDEX MATCH instead.
Let's look at an example. Let's say Sheet 1 contains a list of people's
names and their Hogwarts email addresses, and Sheet 2 contains a list of
people's email addresses and the Patronus that each student has. (For the
non-Harry Potter fans out there, every witch or wizard has an animal
guardian called a "Patronus" associated with him or her.) The information
that lives in both sheets is the column containing email addresses, but this
email address column is in different column numbers on each sheet. I'd use
the INDEX MATCH formula instead of VLOOKUP so I wouldn't have to
switch any columns around.
So what's the formula, then? The INDEX MATCH formula is actually the
MATCH formula nested inside the INDEX formula. You'll see I differentiated
the MATCH formula using a different color here.
The formula: =INDEX(table array, MATCH formula)
This becomes: =INDEX(table array, MATCH (lookup_value,
lookup_array))
The formula with variables from our example below: =INDEX(Sheet2!A:A,
(MATCH(Sheet1!C:C,Sheet2!C:C,0)))
Here are the variables:
Table Array: The range of columns on Sheet 2 containing the new
data you want to bring over to Sheet 1. In our example, "A"
means Column A, which contains the "Patronus" information for each

person.
Lookup Value: This is the column in Sheet 1 that contains identical
values in both spreadsheets. In the example that follows, this means
the "email" column on Sheet 1, which is Column C. So: Sheet1!C:C.
Lookup Array: This is the column in Sheet 2 that contains identical
values in both spreadsheets. In the example that follows, this refers to
the "email" column on Sheet 2, which happens to also be Column C.
So: Sheet2!C:C.
Once you have your variables straight, type in the INDEX MATCH formula
in the top-most cell of the blank Patronus column on Sheet 1, where you
want the combined information to live.
13) COUNTIF Function

Instead of manually counting how often a certain value or number appears,
let Excel do the work for you. With the COUNTIF function, Excel can count
the number of times a word or number appears in any range of cells.
For example, let's say I want to count the number of times the word
"Gryffindor" appears in my data set.
The formula: =COUNTIF(range, criteria)

The formula with variables from our example
below: =COUNTIF(D:D,"Gryffindor")
In this formula, there are several variables:
Range: The range that we want the formula to cover. In this case,
since we're only focusing on one column, we use "D:D" to indicate
that the first and last column are both D. If I were looking at columns
C and D, I would use "C:D."
Criteria: Whatever number or piece of text you want Excel to count.
Only use quotation marks if you want the result to be text instead of a
number. In our example, the criteria is "Gryffindor."
Simply typing in the COUNTIF formula in any cell and pressing "Enter" will
show me how many times the word "Gryffindor" appears in the dataset.
14) Combine cells using "&"

Databases tend to split out data to make it as exact as possible. For
example, instead of having a data that shows a person's full name, a
database might have the data as a first name and then a last name in
separate columns. Or, it may have a person's location separated by city,
state, and zip code. In Excel, you can combine cells with different data into
one cell by using the "&" sign in your function.
The formula with variables from our example below: =A2&" "&B2
Let's go through the formula together using an example. Pretend we want to
combine first names and last names into full names in a single column. To
do this, we'd first put our cursor in the blank cell where we want the full
name to appear. Next, we'd highlight one cell that contains a first name,
type in an "&" sign, and then highlight a cell with the corresponding last
name.
But you're not finished -- if all you type in is =A2&B2, then there will not be
a space between the person's first name and last name. To add that
necessary space, use the function =A2&" "&B2. The quotation marks
around the space tell Excel to put a space in between the first and last
name.
To make this true for multiple rows, simple drag the corner of that first cell
downward as shown in the example.
How to Make a Chart or Graph in

Excel
Step 1: Get your data into Excel.
First, you need to input your data into Excel. This is the easy part! You may
have exported the data from elsewhere, like a piece of marketing
software or a survey tool. Or maybe you're inputting it manually.
In the example below, in Column A, I have a list of responses to the
question, Did inbound marketing demonstrate ROI?, and in Columns B,C,
and D, I have the responses to the question, Does your company have a
formal sales-marketing agreement? For example, Column C, Row 2
illustrates that 49% of people who have an SLA (service level agreement)
also say that inbound marketing demonstrated ROI.
Step 2: Choose a type of chart/graph to

create.
In Excel, you have plenty of choices for charts and graphs to create. (For
help figuring out which type of chart/graph is best for visualizing your data,
check out our free ebook, How to Use Data Visualization to Win Over Your
Audience.)
The data I'm working with will look best in a bar graph, so let's pursue
making that one. To make a bar graph, highlight the data and include the
titles of the X and Y axis. Go to the Insert tab, click Charts, click
Column, and choose the graph you wish. In this example, I will be picking
the first 2-D Column choice -- just because I prefer it over the 3-D look.
Step 3: Switch axes, if necessary.

If you want to switch what appears on the X and Y axis, right click on the
bar graph, click Select Data, and click Switch Row/Column.
Step 4: Adjust your labels and legends, if

desired.
To change the layout of the labeling and legend, click on the bar graph,
then click the Layout tab. Here you can choose what layout you prefer for
the chart title, axis titles, and legend.
In my example, I clicked on Chart Title, and selected Above Chart. To
format the X axis title, I clicked on Axis Titles, clicked Primary
Horizontal Axis Title,' and clicked Title Below Axis. To format the Y axis
title, I clicked on Axis Titles, clicked 'Primary Vertical Axis Title, and
chose Rotated Title. To change the placement of the legend, click
Legend on the Layout tab and choose your preferred location.
Step 5: Change the Y axis measurement

options, if desired.
To change the type of measurement shown on the Y axis, right click on the
Y axis percentages, and click Format Axis. Here you can decide if you
want to display units located on the Axis Options tab, or if you want to
change whether the Y axis shows percentages to 2 decimal places or to 0
decimal places.
The resulting graph would be changed to look like this:
Step 6: Reorder data, if desired.

To sort the data so the software choices appear in descending popularity
order, click on the column that is most important to you (in this case, I
picked column B), click on the Data tab, and click Filter. Then go back to
Column B, click the down arrow, and click Sort Largest to Smallest.
If you click on the downward arrows located at B1 and C1, you can choose
to sort based on smallest to largest or largest to smallest, depending on
your preference. Here, I sorted largest to smallest on B1.
Use an Image as a Background in Excel
Option 1: Adding a Background Image to your

worksheet:
For Excel 2003:
1.
First of all open the worksheet where you wish to add the background.
2. After this navigate to Format > Sheet > Background.

2. Now, browse through all the available images, select the image that you
wish to add and click the insert button as shown in the below image.
4. This will add the picture that you just selected as the sheet background.
For Excel 2007, 2010 and 2013:

1.
2.
First open the worksheet where you have to add the background.
Next, navigate to Page Layout Tab in the ribbon and click the
Background option.
3. This will open a sheet background window, select the image that you wish to
use as a background and then click the insert button.
4. Now the image that you just selected will be used in the background your
worksheet.
5. The resultant will look somewhat like the above image.
Few Important tips about spreadsheet backgrounds:
Try to use contrast colours to make you spreadsheets more readable. For
example- if you use a dark colour font on a light colour background image, it
will be easier to read.
You can also use the shortcut Alt + P G to add an image background to
your worksheets.
The image in your spreadsheet background can increase the overall size of
the spreadsheet. So, only select those images that have small sizes.
You cannot add a background image to multiple worksheets at once. You
can only add the background to one worksheet at a time.
Remove gridlines on your spreadsheets when you are using a background
image, this makes them look smooth.
It should be noted that when you add an image background to your
spreadsheet using the above method then it wont show up when you print
the sheet. To add printable backgrounds to your spreadsheet use the second
option.
How to Remove the Background Image in Excel:

To remove the background in image follow the below steps:
For Excel 2003:
1.
First open the spreadsheet, where you have already added an image as
background.
2.
Next, navigate to Format > Sheet > Delete Background.
3. This will delete the image from the background.
For Excel 2007, 2010 and 2013:

1.
First of all open the spreadsheet, where you have already added an image
as background.
2.
After this, navigate to the Page Layout tab in the ribbon and click the
Delete Background option.
3. Now, the image in the background of your worksheet will be deleted.
Option 2: Adding a Printable image to your

worksheet:
In this method we will are not going to add the image as a background but instead we will
add the image on top of another object. And then we will adjust the object so that it fits in the
whole printable area. To use the method follow the below steps:
1.
Open the worksheet where you wish to add your image background.
Before proceeding further make sure that you have filled the required data
to your spreadsheet.
2. Next, navigate to Insert Tab > Shapes > Rectangle, and draw a
rectangle on your sheet.
3. After this, right click on the rectangle and select the option Format Shape
as shown in image.
4. This will open the Format Shape options, click the Fill option, in the Fill
type select the Gradient or Texture radio button. Then using the File
button select the picture of your choice as the background and set its
transparency according to your needs.
5. Now adjust the image such that it shows in the printable area and then
print the sheet.
Excel Function Keys and Shortcuts

This is a long post of around 3000 + words. So, below is a tabular format for you to know
about the F1 to F12 function keys in excel in an easy to digest manner.
Function
Keys
Alt
F1
Opens
Excel Help
Insert a
New
Chart
F2
Edit
contents of
an excel
Opens
Save As
dialog
box
F3
Paste
Named
Range or
Named
List
F4
Toggles
between
cell
references
Absolute,
Relative
and Mixed
Reference.
Also
repeats
last action
performed
in
workbook.
No
Output
Alt + Shift Ctrl + Shift
Alt + Ctrl
Alt + Ctrl +
Shift
Ctrl
Shift
Minimize
or
Maximize
the
ribbon
No Output
Add new
workshee
t
No
Output
No Output
No Output
Opens
Print
options
Insert or
Edit a
comment
in selected
cell
Saves
the
workbook
No
Output
Opens the
File Open
Dialog
Box.
Opens
Print
options
Opens
Name
Manager
Opens
dialog box
to select
functions
to insert in
the
selected
cell
No
Output
Create
names
from the
row or
column
labels for
the
selected
cell(s)
Provide
name the
selected
range or
cell.
No Output
Quits
Excel.
Closes all
the open
excel
workbook
s. Same
as Alt +
F4
Function.
Select
the
empty
cell
available
next in
the left
direction
to the
current
selection.
Quits
Excel.
Closes all
the open
excel
workbooks
. Same as
Alt + F4
Function.
Closes the
current
open excel
workbook
window.
Closes all
the open
excel
workbook
s.
Closes all
the open
excel
workbook
s.
Select the
empty cell
available
next in the
right
direction to
the current
selection.
F5
Displays
the Go To
dialog box.
No
Output
Restores
the
window
size from
maximum
of the
current
open
excel
workbook
.
Opens the
Find and
Replace
Window.
No
Output
No
Output
No Output
No Output
F6
Switch
No
Switch to
Switch
No
Switch to
No Output
No Output
between
the panes
of an excel
workbook
if you have
a split
window. If
not
switches
between
help task
pane and
application
window.
F7
Opens the
Spelling
option in
excel
using
which you
can check
the
spellings in
your
workbook
F8
Enables
and
disables
Extend
Mode
selection
in excel.
F9
Recalculat
es the
output of
all
formulas in
your excel
workbook.
If editing a
cell having
formula
then
replaces
the value
of the
formula in
cell.
F10
Displays
the
keyboard
shortcut
for the
Output
the
previous
excel
workbook
if you
have
multiple
workbook
s open.
between
the panes
of an excel
workbook
if you have
a split
window. If
not
switches
between
help task
pane and
application
window.
Output
the
previous
excel
workbook
if you
have
multiple
workbook
s open.
No
Output
Moves
the excel
window.
Works
only if
your
workbook
is in a
restored
window.
Opens the
Research
task pane
in your
excel
workbook.
No
Output
No
Output
No Output
No Output
Open the
Macros
dialog
box.
Moves
the excel
window.
Works
only if
your
workbook
is in a
restored
window.
Select cell
or multiple
cells or a
range of
cells using
arrow
keys.
No
Output
No
Output
No Output
No Output
Recalculat
es the
output of
all
formulas in
your excel
workbook.
All the
dependent
formulas
are
rechecked
and
recalculate
d in all the
open
workbooks.
It also
works for
the cell
which are
not marked
for
recalculatio
n.
No Output
No Output
No
Output
Display
the
selection
window in
Minimize
s the
Excel
window.
Recalculat
es the
output of
all
formulas in
your excel
workbook.
No
Output
No
Output
Resizes
or
restores
the excel
window if
Displays
the
shortcut
window for
the
Displays
the menu
for the
Smart
Tag if
Displays
the
shortcut
window
for the
selected
cell, same
as right
clicking the
mouse on
the
selected
cell. If
Help
Window
of Excel is
opened
then it
displays
the set of
commands
for Help
Window.
only a
single
Smart
Tag is
present in
your
workbook
. In case
of
multiple
Smart
Tags it
simply
toggles to
next
smart tag
and
displays
its menu.
selected
cell,
same as
right
clicking
the
mouse
on the
selected
cell. If
Help
Window
of Excel
is
opened
then it
displays
the set of
comman
ds for
Help
Window.
No
Output
No Output
No Output
Opens
Print
options.
No Output
No Output
excel
ribbon also
known as
excel tips.
excel.
its open
in
maximum
window
first.
Similarly
it
maximize
s the
excel
window if
its open
in
restored
window
initially.
F11
Adds a
chart to
your excel.
If you hit
F11 after
selecting a
specific
data range
then it
uses the
same
range in
chart.
Opens
Microsoft
Visual
Basic
Editor. If
VB Editor
is already
open
then by
pressing
this key
you can
toggle
between
the Excel
workbook
and
editor.
Adds a
macro
sheet in
your
currently
open
excel
workbook
with a
default
name like
Macro1,
Macro2,
etc
Inserts a
New
Sheet in
your
currently
open excel
workbook.
Displays
the
Microsoft
Script
editor for
your
current
open
excel
workbook
F12
Opens
Save As
dialog box
like Alt +
F2 keys.
No
Output
Opens
the File
Open
Dialog
Box.
Saves the
workbook
like Alt +
Shift + F2
keys.
No
Output
F1 Key:
F1 is used for opening Excel Help. Its output is same as obtained by clicking on
question mark button available on top right hand side of your excel sheets as highlighted in
below image.
Alt + F1:
If you use Alt and F1 Keys together then it will insert a new chart in your excel and will
open the chart options. It is a column chart by default as shown in below image.
Ctrl + F1:
You can minimize or maximize the ribbon of excel by pressing Ctrl & F1 Keys together.
By minimizing the ribbon only tab names will be displayed on the ribbon. This could also be
achieved by clicking on the button highlighted in below image:
Shift + F1:
Unfortunately, Shift + F1 Keys alone does not provide any output. However, it works when
Alt button is pressed.
Alt + Shift + F1:
A new worksheet is added to the workbook in which you are working currently by holding
Alt + Shift + F1 Keys together.
Ctrl + Shift + F1:
This set of keys when pressed together does not give any output either like Shift + F1
Keys.
Alt + Ctrl + F1:
This set of keys when pressed together does not give any output either like Shift + F1 and
Ctrl + Shift + F1 keys.
Alt + Ctrl + Shift + F1:
Alt + Ctrl + Shift + F1 does not provide any output.
F2 Key:
Using F2 Key, you edit the contents of a cell in excel. If you select a cell that is filled with
some value and then press F2 Key, then it will allow you to insert at the end of the current
content in cell. However if you press F2 for an empty cell then it simply allows you to type
in the empty cell.
If editing directly in cells is disabled in your workbook, then by pressing F2 you can edit
the contents in Formula Bar. In case you are unaware that if direct editing is disabled or not
then just follow below steps:
Click on File Menu.
Select Options and then select Advanced.
In the Advanced Option for Excel, verify if the check-box against Allow
editing directly in cells is ticked or not as shown in below image.
Alt + F2:
By holding Alt + F2 keys together the Save As dialog box opens for saving the excel
workbook.
Ctrl + F2:
To open Print options you can just hold Ctrl + F2 keys together. It opens the same printing
options as shown in below image which could also be opened by clicking on File menu and
then by selecting Print Option.
Shift + F2:
Insert comments in a cell by just holding Shift and F2 Keys together. You can also edit the
existing comments in the selected cell using Shift + F2 keys.
Alt + Shift + F2:
This set of keys Alt + Shift + F2 when pressed together saves the workbook. It is same as
Ctrl + S keys.
Ctrl + Shift + F2:
Ctrl + Shift + F2 Keys dont provide any output.
Alt + Ctrl + F2:
This set of keys Alt + Ctrl + F2 when pressed together opens the File Open Dialog Box.
It is same as Ctrl + O function.
Alt + Ctrl + Shift + F2 keys open the print option in excel, same as Ctrl + F2 keys.
F3 Key:
F3 key helps you to paste name or paste list into the selected cell as displayed in below
image. This function key will not work until and unless the list that you have created is
having a named range.
You can refer this article if you are not aware of a named range.
Alt + F3:
Alt + F3 Keys dont provide any output.
Ctrl + F3:
If you hold Ctrl + F3 keys together then Name Manager dialog box is opened as shown
in below image. If you want to know about Name Manager in a detailed manner then you
canrefer this article.
Shift + F3:
Shift + F3 keys when pressed together opens a window using which you can insert any
function of your choice in the selected cell.
Alt + Shift + F3:

Alt + Shift + F3 keys dont provide any output.
Ctrl + Shift + F3:
Ctrl + Shift + F3 Keys are used to create names from the row or column labels as shown
in below screenshot. Although you can create the names for the selected cell from the values
of top row, bottom row, left column or right column as per your preference.
Alt + Ctrl + F3:

Alt + Ctrl + F3 keys are used to provide name the selected range or cell.

Alt + Ctrl + Shift + F3 keys dont provide any output.
F4 Key:
F4 key provides you two different outputs depending on what you are doing currently in
your excel.
If you are editing, then it will cycle you through the all three types of references, like
absolute reference, relative reference and mixed reference.
Refer below example for detail.
As displayed in below image in the selected cell of excel, we are first using the relative
reference of Cell having Student As marks in English Subject. After pressing F4 key it
toggles and suggests the absolute reference of same cell and again by pressing F4 key the
mixed reference of the cell are suggested. If you are new to these terms of references then
you cango through this article to understand these in details.
In addition to toggling the reference of a cell, F4 keys also repeats the last action performed
in workbook. Although, this could also be achieved using Ctrl + Y keys.
Example: If you have just inserted or deleted a row or column in your workbook then by
pressing F4 key you can repeat the action of insertion or deletion of rows and \ or columns.
Likewise if you have just pasted something in your workbook, then using F4 you can
repeat it.
Alt + F4:
I believe you all would be aware what magic Alt + F4 keys do. For those who dont know,
by pressing Alt + F4 excel would be closed. It will prompt you for a confirmation to save
changes if there are any.
Ctrl + F4:
Using Ctrl & F4 keys you can close the current open excel workbook window. It does the
same operation as done by the Close Window button available on Excel workbook.
Shift + F4:
Shift + F4 keys select the empty cell available next in the right direction to the current
selection. It toggles in the same row until it finds the data, after which it goes to next row
available.
Alt + Shift + F4:
Alt + Shift + F4 keys provide same output as Alt + F4 Keys, that is it will quit excel
thereby closing all open excel workbooks.
Ctrl + Shift + F4:
Ctrl + Shift + F4 keys select the empty cell available next in the left direction to the current
selection. It toggles in the same row until it finds the data, after which it goes to next row
available. Note that the difference between Ctrl + Shift + F4 keys and Shift + F4 keys is
the direction in which movement is done. The cells are toggled in left direction using Ctrl +
Shift + F4 keys and in right direction using Shift + F4 keys.
Alt + Ctrl + F4:
Alt + Ctrl + F4 keys provide same output as Alt + F4 Keys, that is it will quit excel
thereby closing all open excel workbooks.
Alt + Ctrl + Shift + F4 keys closes all open excels like Alt + F4 Keys.
F5 Key:
F5 key displays the Go To dialog box. Go To box will list down the valid named
range available in the opened excel workbook. Along with this you can enter the reference
of cell where you want to go in the Reference text box. Using Special button you can go
to the various options as displayed in below image comments, constants, formula, etc.
Alt + F5:
Alt + F5 dont provide any output.
Ctrl + F5:
Ctrl + F5 keys when hit together restore window size from maximum of the current open
excel workbook. Although, using it again after restore does not maximize the window.
Shift + F5:
Shift + F5 keys when hold together opens the Find and Replace Window.
Alt + Shift + F5:
Ctrl + Shift + F5:
Ctrl + Shift + F5 keys dont provide any output.
Alt + Ctrl + F5:
Alt + Ctrl + F5 keys dont provide any output.
Alt + Ctrl + Shift + F5 dont provide any output.
F6 Key:
F6 key is used to switch between the panes of an excel workbook if you have a split
window in the current sheet of your excel workbook. If your sheet is not split then F6 key
will shift between the help task pane and application window.
Alt + F6:
Alt + F6 keys dont provide any output.
Ctrl + F6:
Using Ctrl + F6 keys you can switch to the previous excel workbook if you have multiple
workbooks open.
Shift + F6:
Shift + F6 keys works same as F6 key.
Alt + Shift + F6:
Ctrl + Shift + F6:
Ctrl + Shift + F6 keys works same as Ctrl + F6 key.
Alt + Ctrl + F6:
F7 Key:
F7 key opens the Spelling option in excel using which you can check the spellings in
your workbook. It provides the same output as you get by navigating to Review Tab on top
of excel ribbon and then clicking on Spelling button.
Alt + F7:
Ctrl + F7:
Ctrl + F7 keys move the excel window of the current workbook which is open. However it
works only if your workbook is in a restored window.
Shift + F7:
Shift + F7 opens the Research task pane in your excel workbook. It provides the same
output as you get by navigating to Review Tab on top of excel ribbon and then clicking on
Research button.
Alt + Shift + F7:
Alt +Shift + F7 keys dont provide any output.
Ctrl + Shift + F7:
Ctrl +Shift + F7 keys dont provide any output.
Alt + Ctrl + F7:

F8 Key:
F8 key enables and disables Extend Mode selection in excel. By enabling extend mode
you can select multiple cells at a time. Likewise by disabling Extend Mode the cell
selection would be set to one cell at a time.
Alt + F8:
Alt + F8 keys open the Macros dialog box as shown in below image:
Ctrl + F8:
Ctrl + F8 keys move the excel window of the current workbook which is open. However it
works only if your workbook is in a restored window. It provides the same output as Ctrl +
F7 keys.
Shift + F8:
Shift + F8 keys provide you an option to select cell or multiple cells or a range of cells
using arrow keys.
Alt + Shift + F8:
Alt +Shift + F8 keys dont provide any output.
Ctrl + Shift + F8
Alt + Ctrl + F8
Alt +Ctrl + F8 keys dont provide any output.
F9 Key:
F9 key recalculates output of all formulas in your excel workbook. Please note that it will
update all the formulas present in various sheet of the open excel workbook.
If you are editing a cell having a formula and press F9 key then it will replace the cell having
formula with the value of that formula.
Alt + F9:
Ctrl + F9:
Using Ctrl + F9 keys your excel window will be minimized. Although pressing it again
would not maximize the screen again.
Shift + F9:
The function of Shift + F9 keys is same as F9 key. It recalculates all the formulas in your
excel workbook.
Alt + Shift + F9:
Ctrl + Shift + F9:
Alt + Ctrl + F9:
The function of Alt + Ctrl+ F9 keys is same as F9 key or Shift + F9 keys. It
recalculates all the formulas in your excel workbook.
Using Alt + Shift + Ctrl + F9 keys, all the dependent formulas are rechecked and
recalculated in all the open workbooks. It also works for the cell which are not marked for
recalculation.
F10 Key:
Using F10 key you get the Excel Tips the keyboard shortcuts for excel ribbon. Its output
is same as obtained by pressing the Alt key.
Alt + F10:
Alt + F10 keys display the selection window in excel as shown in below image.
Ctrl + F10:
Ctrl + F10 keys resizes or restores the excel window if it is open in maximum window first.
Similarly it maximizes the excel window if it is open in restored window initially.
Shift + F10:
Shift + F10 keys display the excel shortcut window also known as Context Menu for the
selected cell. Its output is same as you obtain by right clicking the mouse on the selected cell.
If Help Window of Excel is opened then it displays the set of commands for Help Window.
Alt + Shift + F10:
Alt + Shift + F10 keys displays the menu for the Smart Tag if only a single Smart Tag
is present in your workbook. In case of multiple Smart Tags it simply toggles to next smart
tag and displays its menu.
Ctrl + Shift + F10:
Ctrl + Shift + F10 keys works same as Shift + F10 keys.
Alt + Ctrl + F10:
F11 Key:
F11 key adds a chart to your excel. If you hit F11 after selecting a specific data range then
it uses the same range in chart.
Alt + F11:
Alt + F11 keys open the Microsoft Visual Basic Editor. If VB Editor is already open then
by pressing this key you can toggle between the Excel workbook and editor.
Ctrl + F11:
Ctrl + F11 keys add a macro sheet in your currently open excel workbook with a default
name like Macro1, Macro2, etc. These Macro Sheets were actually used to store macros
in the excel versions prior to Excel 97. They are not being used anymore.
Shift + F11:
Shift + F11 keys insert a New Sheet in your currently open excel workbook. The new
sheet is added on the left hand side of the sheet where you are currently working.
Alt + Shift + F11:
Alt + Shift + F11 displays the Microsoft Script editor for your current open excel
workbook. Microsoft Editor was an additional tool provided by Microsoft in version from
MS Office 2000 to 2007. It allows you to work in a large variety of codes in office products
ranging from: HTML code, DHTML objects, Java Script and VB Script.
Ctrl + Shift + F11:
Alt + Ctrl + F11:
F12 Key:
F12 key opens the Save As dialog box to save your current open excel workbook. You
can also use Alt + F2 for same output.
Alt + F12:
Ctrl + F12:
This set of keys Ctrl + F12 when pressed together opens the File Open Dialog Box. It is
same as Ctrl + O function and opens below window. You can also use Alt + Ctrl + F2 for
the same output as well.
Shift + F12:
This set of keys Shift + F12 when pressed together saves the workbook. It is same as Ctrl
+ S keys. You can also use Alt + Shift + F2 for same output as well.
Alt + Shift + F12:
Ctrl + Shift + F12:

Ctrl + Shift + F12 keys open the print options. Ctrl + F2 keys and Alt + Ctrl + Shift +
F2 keys also do the same function.
Alt + Ctrl + F12:
Alt +Ctrl + Shift + F12 keys dont provide any output.
So, these were the 96 types of ways in which you can use the 12 excel functions keys (F1 to
F12).
Named Range in Excel

When and Why to Use Named Range:
When you normally enter data into columns of a spreadsheet you tend to give column headers
so that the data in that particular column is much understandable. But when you use this data
for various functions then all you use is the data range instead of the column headers. Named
range is the name given to list of data, you can use this name in formulas to make them easier
to understand.
Have a look at below image to get an insight. In this example, I have given a Name
Sales_of_Apple_in_US_in_KGS to the sales of apples in US available from Jan 2014 to
Sep 2014, making it easier to understand.
So, this is how a named range makes your formula easier to understand.
How to create a Named Range:

You have two methods to create a named range in excel. We have detailed both of them in
this section.
Method 1: Create Named Range using Formulas

Tab Define Name Option:
You need to follow below listed steps to create a Named Range in your excel using Define
Name option under Formulas Tab.
Select the Data range which you want to name.
Click on Formulas Tab available on Excel Ribbon.
Click on Define Name button as shown in below image:
Now enter the desired name for named range in Name text-box and click
on OK button once done.
Now, your data range is having a name that could be easily referred in formulas.
Method 2: Create Named Range using Name Box:

If you are looking for a much easier way of adding named range to your data instead of
hopping onto a number of tabs, then this method is definitely for you.
Follow below steps to create a named range using name box:
Select the data range for which you want to create a named range.
Click on the Name Box which appears next to the Formula bar wherein
the cell number is usually updated as shown in below image:
Now enter the name of this range and hit enter button.
Thats all your data range will be named after this and could be easily referred.
Name Manager in Excel:

Using Name Manager you can list all the Named Ranges that are present in the current
workbook. Name Manager gives you a wide variety of operations to perform, which are listed
below:
Create Using this you can create new ranges in the workbook.
Edit Using this you can edit any existing range created in your
workbook.
Delete As the name implies, using this you can delete the existing
names created in your workbook.
Filter Filter gives you many options as depicted in below image to sort
the listed names.
How to Use Name Manager:

There are two options available to check the name manager.
Method 1: Selecting Name Manager from Excel

Ribbon:
Below listed steps need to be followed to view Name Manager:
Navigate to Formulas Tab in Excel.
Click on Name Manager button available as shown in below image:
Method 2: Keyboard Shortcut for Name Manager:

Name Manager could be used easily by holding Ctrl + F3 Keys together.
Deleting Named Ranges:

Named Ranges could be deleted using Name Manager only. All you need to do is to follow
below steps to delete any named ranges available in your excel workbook.
Select Name Manager from Formula Tab or by holding Ctrl + F3

Buttons together.
Once the Name Manager Window opens, select the range which you
want to delete.
Click on Delete Button available on Name Manager Window as shown
in below image:
Click on OK button on the Confirmation Page.
After this the selected Name will be deleted from your workbook.
So, this was all about Named Range functionality and various ways to use it in Excel.
How to Use Excel Sparklines

Excel Sparklines were introduced in Excel 2010 version. It is small line chart that could be
easily embedded with the text and gives a great presentable output for easier depiction when
aligned next to the tabular data. They are supported in Excel 2010 and above version only.
Although sparklines design is not limited to lines they can also be represented as columns or
win loss. Below example depicts how sparklines look:
When to Use :
Excel Sparklines can be useful if you have your data in a tabular format. You can place the
sparklines next to each row to give a clear graphical presentation of the data selected in that
particular row.
How to Use :
Below listed steps give a clear understanding on how to use excel sparklines:
Click on the cell where you want to insert the Sparkline(s).
Go the Insert tab on the top ribbon.
Select the Type of Sparkline (Line, Column, Win/ Loss), in this case we
will take Line Sparkline as example.
After the above selection a dialog box will open to select the data range
for creating sparklines as shown in below image:
You can enter the data range manually by typing in the details or you can
use your mouse to select the data range on excel and it will automatically get
reflected in the dialog box.
After selecting the data range you can simply click on OK button and
sparklines will be added in each row as shown in below image:
So, this was

all about how to use excel sparklines. You can also do formatting, add markers, axis, etc to
enhance the sparklines. Below section suggests on type of sparklines and their formatting.
Type of Excel Sparklines :
Line These sparklines are displayed in the format of simple lines. You
could change the style of line, sparkline color and marker color.
Column These sparklines are displayed in the format of bars. If the data
is of positive value then the column would be lying on the upper axis. For
negative data value the column would be below the axis. Likewise for zero
value the column would not be displayed and an empty space would be left at
that data point. In these sparklines too, you can change the style of column,
sparkline color and marker color.
Win / Loss These sparklines are displayed in the format of bars like
Column sparklines although these only represent profit or loss. If the data is
showing profit (positive data points) then bars would be above the axis and if
the data is showing loss (negative data points) then the bars would be
inverted and will be below the axis. If the data is of zero value then the
column would not be displayed and an empty space would be left at that data
point, as shown in above figure as well. In these sparklines as well, you can
change the style of column, sparkline color and marker color.
You can change the type of sparklines for the whole group or for single row by un-grouping
the sparklines first. Thus each row can have a different type of sparkline.
Formatting Excel Sparklines :

After creating the sparklines you can easily edit \ format sparklines by selecting the
sparklines and then by clicking on Design tab available at top ribbon. Below are the various
options available for formatting sparklines in Excel 2010 and above versions. Below image
suggests the various actions that could be performed on sparklines. Most of them are self
explanatory, however below sections provide detailed overview about all of these.
Edit Data: Using Edit Data you can either change the data range or the location of sparklines
or both. Follow below steps to change data range and \ or location of sparklines.
Edit Group Location and Data You can select this option if you want to
change the location and \ or data range for all the sparklines in the group.
You can achieve this by clicking on the entire cells where sparklines are displayed and then
selecting Edit Group Location and Data from Edit Data option from Design tab in the
ribbon.
Edit Single Sparklines Location and Data You can select this option
if you want to change the location and \ or data range of a single sparkline.
You can achieve this by clicking on the cell where sparkline is displayed and then select Edit
Single Sparklines Location and Data from Edit Data option from Design tab in the
ribbon.
Hidden and Empty Cells in Data Range You can use this feature if
the data range used in your sparklines is having some empty cells or hidden
cells.
o
Empty cells If you are having empty or blank cells then you can
choose how to show them in sparkline.
Gaps You can choose to show the empty cells as Gaps by

selecting the Radio Button against Gaps, as shown in below image.
Zero You can choose to show the empty cells as Zero by
selecting the Radio Button against Zero, as shown in below image.
Connect Data Points Else you can ignore the empty cells by
selecting Connect data points with line, as shown in below image.
Hidden cells If you have some hidden rows or columns in the then
you can easily select how you want these cells to be displayed in Excel.
Show Data of Hidden Rows or Columns You can show the

data of the hidden columns or rows by selecting the check box under
Design tab in Edit Data option for Hidden and Empty Cell Option.
Hide Data of Hidden Rows or Columns You can hide the data
of the hidden cells by simply unchecking the check-box.
Excel Sparkline Highlights:

Highlight is a feature that allows you to show the important points in sparklines by using high
points, low points, first and last points, etc detailed in below section.
High Point By selecting this you can highlight the highest points of data
in the sparklines. It works in all types of the sparklines (line, columns and
win/loss) as shown in above image.
Low Point By selecting this you highlight the lowest points of data in
the sparklines. It also works for all types of the sparklines (line, columns and
win/loss) as shown in above image.
Negative Point By selecting this you can highlight the negative points
of data (data having value less than zero). It works in all types of the
sparklines (line, columns and win/loss) as shown in above image.
First Point It highlights the starting point of the data in the sparklines
as shown in above image.
Last Point It highlights the end point of the data in the sparklines as
shown in above image.
Markers It highlights all the data points (highest, lowest, first, last and
everything) in all types of sparklines as shown in above image.
How to Style your Sparklines:

Using the Style section available under Design tab you can change the color of lines and
columns of sparklines using a pre-defined set of designs.
Sparkline Color Using this option you can change the color of the
sparkline and also change the weight of the line.
Marker Color Using this you can change the color of markers (high, low,
negative, first and last point).
Axis This section gives you an option to change scaling and visibility
details of horizontal and vertical axis of sparkline.
How to Group \ Ungroup Sparklines:

If you are using multiple sparklines in a single sheet then you could group them by selecting
Group option. By grouping you could easily apply all the changes in format, style, color,
weight, etc to all the sparklines available in the group. If you want each sparkline to be
unique then you can ungroup the sparklines by selecting Ungroup option. Below listed
steps could be used to Group the Sparklines:
Select the set of sparklines which you want to Group. It is not necessary
that the sparklines should be adjacent.
After selecting the sparklines, go to the Design Tab and select Group
Option.
Now the grouping is done and you could easily apply same set of styles to
the grouped sparklines.
Now, same set of style is applied to the Group Sparklines, as shown in below image.
Likewise, you can select the Ungroup option to ungroup the sparklines.
How to Clear a Sparklines:

If you want to erase the sparkline and remove its data, location range everything then you
could select the Clear option. To achieve this just follow below steps:
Select the Cell(s) whose sparklines have to be removed.
Go to Design tab and select clear option.
After this the selected sparklines will be removed, as if they didnt exist. This was all about
excel sparklines. Hope this article helps you out to make your excels much more lively using
sparklines.
Adding Current Date and Time Stamp in Excel

Sometimes it happens that you might want to enter the current date and time stamp in your
excel spreadsheets automatically. This need usually arrives because of various reasons, in my
case I was urged to find a solution to it as I need to do some team management wherein I
required the time my associates are spending on work daily. So, in this case adding the
current date and time stamp manually is a very tedious task. Thanks to MS Excel that there
are certain functions and keyboard shortcuts to do it on the fly.
Now, lets jump quickly onto the actual topic of adding current date and time stamp in excel.
There are three simple ways as listed below of doing it. You can follow anyone of them
depending on your needs.
Method 1. Add Current Date using Keyboard

Shortcut
Brief about Keyboard Shortcut (Ctrl + ;):
The main advantages of using this method is that being a keyboard

shortcut its pretty much handy and easier to use multiple times.
Its output gives you only current date no time stamp. Hence if you need
only the date then you can quickly go for it.
It does not get refreshed after opening the spreadsheet every time. Hence
if you are looking for a feature just to add current date without getting it
refreshed then you should select this method.
How to Use it:

Below listed steps have to be followed to use Current Date using a Keyboard Shortcut:
Click on cell wherein you want to add current date.
Right click on the selected cell and select FORMAT CELLS option.
Select Category as date.
Click on OK button once you are done with the formatting.
Now click on the formatted cell and press and hold Ctrl Key on Keyboard
along with this press semi-colon key (;)
Release Semi-Colon Key and Ctrl Key of keyboard.
After this you will be able to see the current date in the cell as depicted in
below image
If you need the date to be updated every time you open excel then this shortcut will not be
able to help you out. However, dont lose heart we have other functions listed below which
would cater to your needs.
Method 2. Add Current Date using Excel Function

TODAY():
Brief about TODAY Function:
Its output gives you current date. Hence if you need only the date then
you can quickly go for it.
It gets refreshed after opening the spreadsheet every time. Hence if you
are looking for a current date that should get updated every time you open
excel then go for it.
How to use Excel Function TODAY()
Select Category as date.
Click on OK Button once you are done with the formatting.
Now click on the formatted cell and type TODAY to display the now
function as shown in below image.
After typing << =TODAY() >> in the cell, simply hit Enter button or just
click outside the cell.
After this you will be able to see the current date in the cell as depicted in below image:
Note: Please note that there are no

arguments passed in Today Function, i.e. its correct formula is =TODAY()
So this was about using Today function using which you will get date as the only output and
this will get auto-refreshed every time you open the excel or press F9 key. However, if you
are looking for a function that gives you both date and time as output and also gets refreshed
then you can use below function.
3. Add Current Date and Time Stamp using Excel

Function NOW():
Brief about NOW Function:
Its output gives you both current date and time stamp. Hence if you need
both the date and time stamp then you can quickly go for it.
It gets refreshed after opening the spreadsheet every time. Hence if you
are looking for a current date and time stamp that should get updated every
time you open excel then go for it.
How to use Excel Function NOW()
Select Category as custom.
Click on OK button once you are done with the formatting.
Now click on the formatted cell and type NOW to display the now
function as shown in below image.
After typing << =NOW() >> in the cell, simply hit Enter button or just
click outside the cell.
After this you will be able to see the current date and times tamp in the cell as depicted in
below image:
Note: Please note that there are no arguments passed in Now Function, i.e. its correct formula
is =NOW()
That was all from my end. Do let us know if these functions helped you out or in case you are
using some other function to do this job which is not listed in this article.
Sum Cells based on Background Color

Few weeks back, one of my regular visitors dropped me an email describing an issue that he
was facing. His task was to add the contents of certain cells based on their background colors.
As we all know, Excel by default has no formula or feature to calculate such a thing. So, in
this post I will share few methods that will help you to achieve this.
To make the task more clear lets have a look at the below image.
This image depicts that here we dont need the total sum of all the elements but instead we
want the sum of elements that have the same background color.
Recommended Reading: Weighted SUM in Excel
Method 1: SUM cells on the basis of background

colour using SUMIF Formula:
We know that SUMIF function is a combination of SUM and IF formula and hence SUMIF
can come quite handy for adding cells based on color.
If you dont know how to use a SUMIF Function, then before going any further I would
strongly suggest you to read this post.
First of all lets try to understand how we are going to do this:
Consider we have a table as shown in the below image.
Next, we will add one more column to this table where we will manually type the background
colors of their adjacent cells as shown in the below image.
Now, we try to use SUMIF Formula for finding the SUM of cells with yellow background
as:=SUMIF(B2:B13,"Yellow",A2:A13)
Similarly, for finding the SUM of Orange and Green background cells we will use the
formulas=SUMIF(B2:B13,"Orange",A2:A13) and =SUMIF(B2:B13,"Green",A2:A13) respe
ctively.
But, as we can see that this method is quite cumbersome, particularly if we need to use this
on lists with hundreds of elements.
So, whats the faster alternative?
To make the above process easier to use we need to reduce the effort of writing cell
background colors manually.
So, for this task we can use a small user defined function (UDF) which will do the trick for
us.
view plaincopy to clipboardprint?
1.
2.
3.
Function ColorIndex(CellColor As Range)

ColorIndex = CellColor.Interior.ColorIndex
End Function
Note: This function does not return the color name but it returns the color index which is also
a unique value and can be used in our task.
Follow the below steps to use the UDF:
1. First of all open your worksheet where you need to add the cells based on background
colors.
2. Next, press ALT + F11 to open the VB Editor. Navigate to Insert > Module.
3. After this, paste the ColorIndex UDF in the Editor.
4. Now, add one column next to the range that you wish to sum up. In this new column enter
the formula as:
=ColorIndex(<refrence_ofcell_whose_background_colour_index_you_wish_know>)
5. After that, drag this formula to the whole range.
6. Now, you can use the SUMIF function to add the cells that have same background color as
shown in the above image.
Method 2 : Using a much faster and better UDF:

The UDF that we are going to use in this method is simply an extension of the above used
function.
This Function is as under:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
Function SumByColor(CellColor As Range, rRange As Range)

Dim cSum As Long
Dim ColIndex As Integer
ColIndex = CellColor.Interior.ColorIndex
For Each cl In rRange
If cl.Interior.ColorIndex = ColIndex Then
cSum = WorksheetFunction.SUM(cl, cSum)
End If
Next cl
SumByColor = cSum
End Function
How to use this UDF:

Follow the below steps to use this Function:
1. Open your target worksheet.
2. Press ALT + F11 to open the VBA Editor and navigate to Insert > Module.
3. Paste the SumByColor Function in the Editor.
4. Now, simply type the SumByColor function to call it and pass the following arguments:
=SumByColor(<cell_with_background_color_that_you_wish_sum>,
<Range_to_be_summed_up>)
Note:In the formula shown in above image instead of the first argument A2 we could have
also used any one of A2, A5, A8, A10, A12. Because all these cells have yellow background.
In our case we can use the following formulas:
Sum of Yellow Cells: =SumByColor(A2,A2:A13) [As A2 is the address of

yellow cell and A2: A13 is the range to be added]
Sum of Orange Cells: =SumByColor(A3,A2:A13) [As A3 is the address of

orange cell and A2: A13 is the range to be added]
Sum of Green Cells: =SumByColor(A4,A2:A13) [As A2 is the address of
green cell and A2: A13 is the range to be added]
So, this was all from me about this topic. Dont forget to download the sample spreadsheet
[link] and do let me know in case you face any issues while using these methods.
Printing Comments in Excel Few Easy Ways

An Excel workbook with comments looks more presentable and easier to understand. But do
you know that, by default Excel only allows you to see comments on the screen. In other
words, it has made the option of printing comments very inconspicuous.
Now, what if you have to print those comments along with your data?
No need to worry. In this post, I will highlight some methods that will help you to print
comments in your spreadsheets.
Recommended Reading : How to Hide GridLines in Excel
So here we go:
Option 1: Printing Comments in Excel from Page

Layout Tab:
In this method we are going to use the Page Setup property in Excel to print comments.
Follow the below steps to do this:
1. First of all you have to ensure that your comments are visible in the worksheet. If
comments are not shown in the display, then they would not show up in the print.
So, to check this navigate to the Review tab in ribbon and ensure that the button Show All
Comments is clicked. After this all the comments in your worksheet will be visible.
If you dont wish to show a particular comment then, you can select the cell that contains the
comment and then hide it using the Show/Hide Comment button present in the Review
tab.
Alternatively, you can also do this from the Right Click menu.
2. Next, navigate to the Page Layout tab in the Ribbon and click the small More button
near the Sheet Options as shown.
3. Clicking More button will open the Page Setup window. In the Sheet tab of Page
Setup window, click the comments drop down. This will have three options as follows:
o
o
None: Selecting this option means that you dont wish to print
comments at all. This is the default option.
At the end of Sheet: Selecting this option will print the comments.
But the comments will not be linked with the cells, rather they will be printed
on a separate sheet.
As displayed on the Sheet: This option will print the comments
as they are displayed on the screen.
4. Select any one of the last two options and click Ok. And its done.
5. Now you can simply press the Ctrl + P keys to open the print dialog or to see the print
preview.
Bonus Tip: For those who want to perform this using the shortcut keys, here is the shortcut.
Alt + P S O Alt + M
This will open the comments dropdown. Select and value from the dropdown and press
Enter.
Option 2: Printing comments from the Print page:

In this method we are going to print comments from the Print preview page. Follow the
below steps to do this:
1. First of all similar to the step 1 of Option 1, make sure that the comments on your
worksheet are visible.
2. Next, navigate to the Print page, by pressing Ctrl + P and click the Page Setup link as
shown.
3. This will open the Page Setup window. On the Page Setup window navigate to Sheet
Tab.
4. Next, in the comments dropdown select any option except None and click Ok. If you
need to know more about these options then see the Step 3 of Option 1.
5. This will do the trick and now you can simply print your worksheet.
Option 3: Printing comments in Excel using VBA:

For printing comments in VBA you can use the below line of code:
Option
Code
As displayed on the
Sheet
ActiveSheet.PageSetup.PrintComments = xlPrintInPlace
At the end of Sheet
ActiveSheet.PageSetup.PrintComments =
xlPrintSheetEnd
Also, before this you would need to add the following line of code to make all the worksheet
comments visible.
Application.DisplayCommentIndicator = xlCommentAndIndicator
So, this was all about how to print comments in excel. Do let us know in case you face any
problems while implementing any of the methods explained in this tutorial.
Hiding Gridlines in Excel

Hiding gridlines in Excel is a common task and most of the Excel users should know about it.
It makes your spreadsheet clean and presentable. Although grid lines in excel have their own
benefits but in some cases it is better to hide them.
What are Gridlines?

A spreadsheet contains cells and gridlines or gridbars represent the borders of these cells.
Grid lines are the faint lines on your spreadsheet that help you to distinguish the cell
boundaries.
Uses of Gridlines:
1. They make it easier for you to align text or objects by giving you a visual cue.
2. They help you to distinguish between cell boundaries.
3. They make your data-tables more readable especially when they are without a border.
Grid lines are hidden during printing but if you want you can show them explicitly.
Method 1: Hide Excel Gridlines using the option in

ribbon:
Excel has a default option to hide these mesh lines.
For Excel 2007, 2010, 2013:
Navigate to the View tab on the Excel ribbon.
Uncheck the Gridlines checkbox and the gridbars will be hidden.
Or you can also hide the grid lines from Page layout and uncheck the
Gridlines View option.
For Excel 2003 and Earlier:
Navigate to Tools > Options.
Now, a dialog box will open. Navigate to the View tab and then uncheck
the Gridlines option and click OK. This will hide these annoying lines.
Method 2: Make Gridbars invisible by changing

background colour:
Another obvious way to hide the grid lines in excel is by changing their background colour so
that it matches the worksheet background. This can be done by using following steps:
First of all select all the rows and columns of the spreadsheet by pressing
Ctrl + A. Alternatively you can also click the little triangle icon under the
Name box.
With all the cells selected, click the Fill Color option and select the white
colour.
Now, all the gridlines will be hidden.
Method 3: Hiding gridlines by using the shortcut

key:
If you are someone who love to see keyboard as compared to mouse then here is the shortcut
key for you. You can use the Alt + WVG key combination to hide the excel gridbars.
Method 4: Hide spreadsheet gridlines using a

Marco:
If you want to hide the grid lines by using a macro then you can use the below code. This
code hides the gridbars if they are visible but if the grid lines are already hidden then it
displays a message saying Grid lines are already hidden!
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Sub Hide_Mesh()
If ActiveWindow.DisplayGridlines Then
ActiveWindow.DisplayGridlines = False
Else
MsgBox "Grid lines are already hidden!"
End If
End Sub
Hide Grid lines when you are printing the sheet:

To hide the grid lines while printing the sheet follow below steps:
Navigate to Page Layout Tab and uncheck the Print option under Grid
lines area. Or you can also use the ALT + PPG key combination to do this.
After this print the spreadsheet and the grid lines wont be visible.
How to bring the grid lines back if they are already

hidden:
If your grid lines are invisible by default and you want to show them up, then just check back
the gridlines option that we have unchecked in the Method 1. Alternatively you can also press
the keys Alt + WVG to make the gridbars visible again.
So, this was all how to hide gridlines in excel. Do share your thoughts and ideas related to the
topic.
Excel Nested Ifs Explained
In our last post we talked about IF Statement, which is one of the most important functions in
Excel. The limitation of IF statement is that it has only two outcomes. But if you are dealing
with multiple conditions then Excel Nested Ifs can come very handy.
Nested ifs are the formulas that are formed by multiple if statements one inside another. This
nesting makes it possible for a single formula to take multiple decisions. In Excel 2003
nesting was only possible up to 7 levels but Excel 2007 has increased this number to 64.
Syntax of Excel Nested If formula:

The syntax of Nested If statement is as follows:
=IF(Condition_1,Value_if_True_1,IF(Condition_2,Value_if_True_2,Value_if_Fal
se_2))
Here, Condition_1 refers to the condition used in the first IF.

Value_if_True_1 will be the result if first IF statement is True.
Condition_2 is the condition used in the second IF. The second IF will only come into
pictue when the First IF statement results a False value.
Value_if_True_2 will be the result if second IF statement is True.
Value_if_False_2 will be the result if second IF statement is False.
This is equivalent to:
IF Condition1 THEN
Value_if_True1
THEN
Value_if_True2
ELSE
Value_if_False2
END IF
Example of Nested IFs in Excel:

Now, lets understand Nested Ifs with an example.
Example 1:
In the below image an Employee table of a company is shown. The company decides to give
bonus to its employees but their bonus criteria is quite strange. As you can see in the below
image they are giving 20% bonus to the North Region Employees, 30% to the South Region
Employees, 40% to the East Region Employees and 50% to the West Region Employees.
In this case we can use Excel Nested IF formula to find the bonus for each employee. The
formula can be:
=IF(B2="North","20%",IF(B2="South","30%",IF(B2="East","40%",IF(B2="West","5
0%", "Region is Invalid"))))
The formula is quite simple, it just checks if B2 (cell that contains region details for first
employee) is equal to North, then value should be 20%, if not then check if B2 is equal to
South, if yes then value should be 30%, if not move on to next IF statement and so on.
Similarly for the second employee the formula would be:
=IF(B3="North","20%",IF(B3="South","30%",IF(B3="East","40%",IF(B3="West","5
0%", "Region is Invalid"))))
In this case I have handled another important thing i.e. If the Region does not matches with
any one of the IF conditions then the output should be Region is Invalid.
Example 2:
In the second example we have a table of students and their scores. Now based on their scores
we have to give a grade to the students.
Students with scores below 40 are considered as Fail, scores between 41 and 60 are
considered Grade C, scores between 61 and 75 are considered Grade B and scores
between 76 and 100 are considered as Grade A
In this scenario we can use a nested If formula as:
=IF(B2<=40,"Fail",IF(AND(B2>=41,B2<=60),"Grade
C",IF(AND(B2>=61,B2<=75),"Grade B",IF(AND(B2>=76,B2<=100),"Grade A"))))
This formula just checks if B2 (cell containing the score of first student) is less than or equal
to 40, if true then the value should be Fail if not then check the next IF condition and so on.
You can see that here in the inner-most IF statement I havent used the Value_if_False , it is
perfectly alright to omit this parameter in such a case. In-case all the IF conditions in this
formula will result into a False value then the formula will simply return a FALSE keyword.
How to Hide Formulas in Excel
Using formulas in excel can make your day to day tasks easier. Excel provides formulas for
just about anything. But if you are sharing your spreadsheets with other people then it looks
quite rude to write formulas as it is.
All the formulas and the calculation stuff should be hidden from the viewers. The best way to
do this is to hide your formulas in excel sheet.
Today I will be sharing few tips on how to hide formulas in Excel.
1. Toggling the Show Formulas option in Excel:

This method is simplest of all. To toggle Show Formulas option in excel simply follow the
below steps:
With an excel sheet opened, navigate to the Formulas tab.

There you will see an option Show Formulas, clicking once on that button
will reveal all the formulas and clicking twice will hide the formulas.
Instead of performing step 2 you can simply hit Ctrl + ~ keys on
keyboard, pressing the keys once will show all the formulas and pressing them
again will make the formulas hidden.
As you can see that this method is not completely fool-proof because the formula is still
visible in the top formula bar. It only helps to hide your formulas from showing up inside the
cells.
2. Replacing the formula with Values:

This is an easy way to get rid of all your formulas at once. Here we are going to replace the
formula with the value that it has resulted into. This will remove all your formulas and will
replace them with corresponding values, use this method only if you dont need the formulas
again.
Select the range where you have applied the formula.
Now right click and select the Paste Special option from the menu.
After the paste special window gets opened select the radio button
Values and click OK.
This will replace all the formulas with their values.
This method is not suitable if you might need the formula again in near future. In such cases
the next method comes quite handy.
3. Hiding the formula by protecting the Excel sheet:

If you want to hide your formulas temporarily and use them again at your wish. Then you
should try hiding formulas by protecting the worksheet. In this method we will first hide the
cell formulas and then lock the complete excel sheet. Follow below steps to do this:
Firstly select all the cells for which you have applied the formula.
After this, right click and select the option Format Cells.
Next, in the Format Cells window navigate to the protection tab.
In protection tab, check the Hidden checkbox and click OK.
One thing that I want to make clear is that just checking the hidden
checkbox cant do anything until you have protected the excel sheet.
To protect the excel sheet navigate to the Review tab, select the option
Protect Sheet.
After this the system will ask you to enter your password, after entering
the password click OK.
Then re-enter the Password and all your excel formulas are hidden.
To view you formulas again simply visit the Review tab again and unprotect the sheet. After
this uncheck the hidden option in the Protection tab of format cells.
So, this was all about how to hide formulas in excel. If you know any other trick then please
do share them with us.
Convert pounds to KGs, meters to yards and tsps to table spoons

You need not ask Google if you need to convert 156 lbs to kilograms or find out how much 12 tea
spoons of olive oil actually means. The hidden convert() function is really versatile and can convert
many things to so many other things, except one currency to another, of course.
Example: Use CONVERT(150,"lbm","kg") to convert 150 lbs to 68.03 kgs.

Use CONVERT(12,"tsp","oz") to findout that 12 tsps is actually 2 ounces.
Convert those lengthy nested if functions to one simple formula with

Choose()
Planning to create a gradebook or something using excel, you are bound to write some if()
functions, but do you know that you can use choose() when you have more than 2 outcomes for a
given condition? As you all know, if(condition, fetch this, or this) returns fetch this if
the condition is TRUE or or this if the condition is FALSE. Learn more about spreadsheet if
functions like countif, sumif etc.
Where as choose(m, value1, value2, value3, value4 ...) can return any of the value1,2..,
based on the parameter m.
Example: Use CHOOSE(3,"when","in","doubt","just","choose")
to get doubt
Remember, you can always write another formula for each of the n parameters of choose() so that
based on input condition (in this case 3), another formula is evaluated.
Formula Debugging in Excel Tip [spreadcheats]

Can you imagine building a complex worksheet without formulas? I cant. While no one can
dispute the usability of formulas, we all know how painful it is when an excel formula returns a
mysterious error and we dont know what is causing it.
When I learned IF() formula for the first time, I have spent a whole Sunday morning debugging a
stupid error in a grade calculation formula.
So as part of our spreadcheats series, we will learn a handy trick you can use to debug formulas
and fix the errors quickly.
Assuming we have a moderately lengthy formula like this

=IF(AVERAGE(B2:B6)<=AVERAGE(C2:C6),MAX(B2:B6),MAX(C2:C6))
and we want to know where the error is occurring
1.
Select the cell with formula.
2.
Now click on the formula bar
3.
Just select the parts the formula and press F9 (for eg: the first average() formula)
4.
This will evaluate only the selected part and replaces it with the result. Like this:
5.
Using this technique you can narrow down the errors to particular range or values causing
it.
6.
Now that you know where the error is occurring you can wrap that part of formula with an
ISERROR() formula to avoid unpleasant surprises.

Simple Excel Shortcuts

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Simple Excel Shortcuts

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14 Simple Excel Shortcuts, Tips & Tricks

2) Add More Than One New Row or Column

8) Conditional Formatting Formula

Note: In the example above, I awarded 10 points to everyone in Gryffindor.

10) Dollar Signs

column of data you're trying to copy to Sheet 1. In our example, this

So when we type in the formula =VLOOKUP(C2,Sheet2!A:B,2,FALSE),

12) INDEX MATCH

need to do a lookup that has a lookup column to the right of the

means Column A, which contains the "Patronus" information for each

13) COUNTIF Function

The formula: =COUNTIF(range, criteria)

14) Combine cells using "&"

How to Make a Chart or Graph in

Step 2: Choose a type of chart/graph to

Step 3: Switch axes, if necessary.

Step 4: Adjust your labels and legends, if

Step 5: Change the Y axis measurement

The resulting graph would be changed to look like this:

Step 6: Reorder data, if desired.

Use an Image as a Background in Excel

Option 1: Adding a Background Image to your

2. After this navigate to Format > Sheet > Background.

For Excel 2007, 2010 and 2013:

5. The resultant will look somewhat like the above image.

Few Important tips about spreadsheet backgrounds:

How to Remove the Background Image in Excel:

3. This will delete the image from the background.

For Excel 2007, 2010 and 2013:

3. Now, the image in the background of your worksheet will be deleted.

Option 2: Adding a Printable image to your

Excel Function Keys and Shortcuts

Alt + Shift Ctrl + Shift

Click on File Menu.

Select Options and then select Advanced.

Alt + Shift + F3:

Alt + Ctrl + F3:

Alt + Ctrl + Shift + F3:

Alt + Ctrl + F7:

Ctrl + Shift + F12:

Named Range in Excel

How to create a Named Range:

Method 1: Create Named Range using Formulas

Select the Data range which you want to name.

Click on Formulas Tab available on Excel Ribbon.

Click on Define Name button as shown in below image:

Method 2: Create Named Range using Name Box:

Name Manager in Excel:

How to Use Name Manager:

Method 1: Selecting Name Manager from Excel

Navigate to Formulas Tab in Excel.

Click on Name Manager button available as shown in below image:

Method 2: Keyboard Shortcut for Name Manager:

Deleting Named Ranges:

Select Name Manager from Formula Tab or by holding Ctrl + F3

Click on OK button on the Confirmation Page.

How to Use Excel Sparklines

Click on the cell where you want to insert the Sparkline(s).

Go the Insert tab on the top ribbon.

So, this was

Type of Excel Sparklines :

Formatting Excel Sparklines :

Gaps You can choose to show the empty cells as Gaps by

Show Data of Hidden Rows or Columns You can show the