No matter how much of an expert you consider yourself to be at using Excel, there’s always something new to learn. And here we present six of our favourite time-savers when using Excel. You’re welcome.
1. Use Autofill
According to PC Mag, this one’s a no-brainer yet still so easily overlooked. Don’t waste time typing out dates and other repetitive information. Just start your series, then click on the bottom-right hand corner of the last cell and drag it to select all additional cells. Job done!
- Convert Tables into Excel Tables
Use Ctrl + T to switch from an ordinary table to an official Excel Table. Now every formula entered in row 1 will automatically be copied down to the bottom of your table. It saves time, but it helps to prevent errors too.3. Enter a Formula into Multiple Cells
It can be difficult enough converting PDF to Excel files, but at least there are sites, such as https://pdftables.com/convert-pdf-to-excel, which provide you with the means to do it efficiently. And you can also speed up the process of entering a formula into multiple cells at once. Choose your cell range, insert your formula into the first cell, then press Ctrl + Enter. Excel will use your formula across all selected cells.
- Skip the Final Bracket
If you’re only entering one function, you don’t need to bother with the closing bracket. Hit the return key, and Excel will add it in for you. Note that this doesn’t work where multiple parenthesis are used in a formula.5. Select Every Formula in a Worksheet
A useful but little-known feature of Excel allows you to view all formulas across an entire worksheet. The command is Ctrl + G, which brings up the Go To command box. Look for the Special button, then choose Formulas, followed by OK. This will bring up every cell containing a formula.6. Save an Incomplete Formula
It’s not always possible to create a complex formula in one go, but Excel won’t let you save it until it works. Get round this by removing the ‘=’ sign, and Excel will register your incomplete formula as being plain text. Unlike an incomplete formula, Excel will happily let you store this for finishing at another time.