Book Image

Exploring Microsoft Excel’s Hidden Treasures

By : David Ringstrom
Book Image

Exploring Microsoft Excel’s Hidden Treasures

By: David Ringstrom

Overview of this book

David Ringstrom coined the phrase “Either you work Excel, or it works you!” after observing how many users carry out tasks inefficiently. In this book, you’ll learn how to get more done with less effort. This book will enable you to create resilient spreadsheets that are easy for others to use as well, while incorporating spreadsheet disaster preparedness techniques. The time-saving techniques covered in the book include creating custom shortcuts and icons to streamline repetitive tasks, as well as automating them with features such as Tables and Custom Views. You’ll see how Conditional Formatting enables you to apply colors, Cell icons, and other formatting on-demand as your data changes. You’ll be empowered to protect the integrity of spreadsheets and increase usability by implementing internal controls, and understand how to solve problems with What-If Analysis features. In addition, you’ll master new features and functions such as XLOOKUP, Dynamic Array functions, LET and LAMBDA, and Power Query, while learning how to leverage shortcuts and nuances in Excel. By the end of this book, you’ll have a broader awareness of how to avoid pitfalls in Excel. You’ll be empowered to work more effectively in Excel, having gained a deeper understanding of the frustrating oddities that can arise daily in Excel.
Table of Contents (18 chapters)
1
Part 1: Improving Accessibility
6
Part 2:Spreadsheet Interactivity and Automation
12
Part 3: Data Analysis

The XLOOKUP function

As you will see, XLOOKUP not only eliminates the frustrations I mentioned for VLOOKUP, it enables you to create a simpler formula than INDEX/MATCH and adds much more functionality. The =XLOOKUP($G3,$B3:$B12,D3:D12) formula in cell H3 of the XLOOKUP Exact Match worksheet in Figure 10.6 returns 94 as the length of Ninety Mile Beach in miles. As with VLOOKUP, XLOOKUP stops looking after it finds an initial match:

Figure 10.6 – The XLOOKUP function

Tip

XLOOKUP eliminates most, but not all, of the previous uses for INDEX/MATCH. XLOOKUP doesn’t allow you to simultaneously search down a column and across a row like INDEX with two MATCH functions allows, so it’s good to have both approaches in your repertoire.

XLOOKUP has a total of six arguments, but often, you’ll only need to enter the three required arguments:

  • Lookup_value – A value that you’re searching for, such as the contents of cell...