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

AutoSave with OneDrive

Older versions of Excel used to have a built-in AutoSave command that would periodically backup Excel workbooks. This feature fell by the wayside in the massive overhaul with Excel 2007. Fortunately, AutoSave is back for documents saved to Microsoft’s OneDrive and SharePoint Online services. If you have a Microsoft 365 subscription, then you already have a OneDrive account. Beyond that, anyone can get 5 GB of free storage by simply creating a free Microsoft account. If you need more space, home users can buy 100 GB of storage for $19.99/year, while OneDrive for Business starts at $5/user/month. Learn more or subscribe at www.onedrive.com.

Typically, files that you save to OneDrive are saved every few seconds, which means that it is much harder to lose your work. As shown in Figure 2.6, you can toggle AutoSave on or off on a workbook-by-workbook basis by way of the slider in the Quick Access Toolbar:

Figure 2.6 – The AutoSave...