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

Repairing damaged workbooks

The prompt that no one ever wants to see in Excel is the one that says a workbook has been corrupted and cannot be opened. Of course, there are varying degrees of workbook corruption. Low levels of damage can result in odd behaviors or prompts as you work on the document, while more severe damage can render the workbook inaccessible. In such situations, you might be able to repair the workbook in Excel for Windows. Make sure that you close the affected file because you cannot repair files that are currently open in Excel. Once you’ve done so, perform the following steps:

  1. Choose File | Open.
  2. Click on the arrow on the right-hand side of the Open button and choose Open and Repair..., as shown in Figure 2.14:

Figure 2.14 – The Open and Repair command

  1. Click on Repair, as shown in Figure 2.15:

Figure 2.15 – The Open and Repair dialog box

  1. Hopefully, Excel will display...