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

Data Validation and Form Controls

I often describe Excel spreadsheets as having an American Wild West atmosphere where anything goes. Type anything you want, anywhere you want. Many users combat this by protecting certain worksheet cells as I’ll discuss later in this chapter. However, worksheet protection only restricts whether a cell can be edited or not.

Data Validation allows you to restrict the type of data that can be entered into specific cells. In addition, Data Validation enables you to create on-demand documentation that appears on screen when a user clicks on a cell.

Even better, Data Validation can provide immediate feedback if a user doesn’t comply with the rule. Determined users can circumvent Data Validation, so we’ll offer two defenses. The first is a means to audit invalid entries. The second approach will enable you to raise the bar by using Form Controls to restrict inputs.

In this chapter, the following topics will be covered:

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