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

Going deeper with LAMBDA functions

At this point, I’ve only covered the tip of the iceberg with LAMBDA, but I do have space to delve a bit further. First, we’ll look at incorporating optional arguments into LAMBDA functions. After that, I’ll detail some of the errors and conflicts that can arise when creating and using LAMBDA functions. Then, I’ll introduce the free Advanced Formula Environment, which offers a programming interface for creating complex LAMBDA functions. We’ll also create an XBOXVOLUME custom worksheet function that allows you to pass a two-column, three-row block of cells to the LAMBDA function, which will convert any measurements in feet into inches before computing the cubic volume of a box.

Optional LAMBDA Parameters

Cell F11 of the LAMBDA function worksheet, as shown in Figure 11.22, contains the =LAMBDA(quantity,price,[tax],(price+IF(ISOMITTED(tax),0,price *tax))*quantity) formula, which has an optional [tax] Parameter...