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 RANDARRAY function

Excel has three different functions that enable you to generate random numbers. Let’s look at the two longstanding options, and then we’ll look at RANDARRAY. The =RAND() formula in cell B2 of Figure 10.25 generates a random number between 0 and 1:

Figure 10.25 – The RAND and RANDBETWEEN functions

The =RANDBETWEEN(100,500) formula in cell D2 of Figure 10.25 allows you to generate random integers between 100 and 500. RANDBETWEEN has two arguments:

  • Bottom – The lowest possible integer you want to return, which, in this case, is 100
  • Top – The highest possible integer you want to return, which, in this case, is 500

Nuance

All random number functions in Excel are volatile, meaning that, unlike most formulas, they recalculate every time you change any cell anywhere in the workbook. Normally, Excel only recalculates formulas when you change a value that the formula directly or indirectly...