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

Understanding the nuances of Quick Access Toolbar shortcuts

In Excel for Windows, every command on your Quick Access Toolbar is assigned an alphanumeric keyboard shortcut. (Excel for macOS does not offer this feature.) These keyboard shortcuts entail pressing the Alt key and a shortcut code determined by the position of a command in your Quick Access Toolbar. I’ll discuss how to reposition commands on the toolbar in the Repositioning and removing icons section a little later. As shown in Figure 3.6, when you tap the Alt key, onscreen tips will show you the keyboard shortcut associated with each command:

Figure 3.6 – The Quick Access Toolbar shortcut tips

The shortcut naming convention works as follows:

  • The first nine shortcuts are assigned from 1 to 9, meaning you press Alt + 1 to access the first command, Alt + 2 for the second, and so on.
  • The 10th through 18th shortcuts are assigned from 09 to 01, meaning you press Alt + 09 to access...