Excel

Microsoft Excel started out with a simple concept: bring a paper spreadsheet into a desktop computer. Since its inception the program has broken all boundaries, brought complicated functions and formulas into the hands of non-mathematicians, and now handles data models like a 3-D database. It is the standard for all business software requirements, and you need to know these tips!

Tell Me: Office 2016 New Feature Preview

Office 2016 Tell Me

I have often lamented when teaching classes that Microsoft’s Help features are so… yucky. In fact, I have a running gag: I offer people a secret website address where they can find all of the latest help information. It is spelled g-o-o-g-l-e-dot-c-o-m. The new Office 2016 Tell Me feature is trying to put my career… Keep Reading

Microsoft Office 2016 Coming Soon…

Office 2016 Coming Soon

In fact, it is coming sooner than many people expected. Even though Microsoft had already launched Office 2016 for Macintosh earlier this year, some people were expecting the launch of the Windows version to be delayed. Microsoft seems to be having a lot more success with their Windows 10 rollout, however, and is looking more… Keep Reading

Password Protecting Parts of an Excel Document

The last tip I gave you was on how to protect parts of a Microsoft Word document. In this tip, I’m going to show you how to do the same thing in Microsoft Excel. The example I’ve got open on-screen has got two cell ranges (C12:O17 and C31:034) that we want people to be able… Keep Reading

Ribbon, Ribbon, who’s got my d@$#n Ribbon!?

The introduction of the Ribbon in Microsoft Office 2007 programs rocked a lot of peoples’ worlds. In fact, it was the number one reason many long-time users felt compelled to go back and starting taking software classes. It’s ubiquitous today, but there was a time when many people predicted its demise. And that day is… Keep Reading

Viewing Two Worksheets from the Same Workbook Side-by-Side

Yesterday’s tip was about how to split the screen in Microsoft Windows, and view two documents side-by-side. Today’s tip is a more detailed look at a similar ability that is particular to Microsoft Excel. The setup is this: there are times in more complex Microsoft Excel documents when you want to view two worksheets from… Keep Reading

Removing Formulas but Keeping the Results in Excel

How to Copy and Paste Values My partner called me from work this week, with an Excel problem that was making his life hard. Luckily, there was a very simple solution. Someone had created an Excel spreadsheet with formulas in it. The formulas in this case were very simple – they took the number in… Keep Reading

Using Hot Keys in Microsoft Office

I want to follow up on yesterday’s post about using keyboard shortcuts, and show you a different type of shortcut that’s built into Microsoft Office. Microsoft Office products use something called Hot Keys that give you the ability to navigate the Ribbon without ever actually touching the mouse. This type of keyboard shortcut doesn’t involved… Keep Reading

Keyboard Shortcuts and Option Tweaks for Microsoft Office Programs

I want to talk with you today about one of my favorite tips for getting around in Microsoft Office programs: keyboard shortcuts. Microsoft has given us multiple ways to accomplish any task, including the Ribbon, right-clicking the mouse and keyboard shortcuts. Any power user will tell you, however, that you will work more proficiently if… Keep Reading

Excel: Getting Started with Functions

Excel 2013 Functions Arabic() and Roman()

Although there isn’t a huge demand to convert numbers from Arabic to Roman notation, two new functions in Excel give you a great way to learn functions, and start to understand the basics that apply to all functions. First a quick definition, an Arabic number is one like we westerners use in normal day-to-day life,… Keep Reading