Top 30 *Advanced* Excel Tips to make you awesome ⚡💡

Introduction

This tutorial provides a comprehensive guide to 30 advanced Excel tips that will enhance your productivity and proficiency with the software. Whether you're a seasoned user or looking to up your Excel game, these tips cover a variety of functions and features designed to make your work easier and more efficient.

Step 1: Use the New FILTER Function

• The FILTER function allows you to extract a range of data that meets certain criteria.
• Usage: =FILTER(array, include, [if_empty])
• Practical Tip: This is great for dynamic reporting as the results update automatically when data changes.

Step 2: Employ the CHAR(10) Trick

• Use CHAR(10) in your cells to insert line breaks within text.
• How to Use: Type your text, and where you want a line break, enter & CHAR(10) &.
• Practical Tip: This enhances readability in cells containing long text.

Step 3: Quick Currency Formatting

• Use the shortcut CTRL + SHIFT + 4 to quickly format numbers as currency.
• Practical Tip: Ideal for financial reports to save time on formatting.

Step 4: Utilize the SUBTOTAL Function

• The SUBTOTAL function can perform various calculations on filtered data.
• Example: =SUBTOTAL(1, A1:A10) for average.
• Practical Tip: Use this in conjunction with filters for dynamic calculations.

Step 5: Add Slicers to Tables

• Slicers provide a visual way to filter data in tables.
• How to Add: Select your table, go to the Insert tab, and click on Slicer.
• Practical Tip: Makes data analysis more interactive and user-friendly.

Step 6: Create Mini Charts with REPT()

• Use the REPT function to create in-cell bar charts.
• Example: =REPT("█", A1) where A1 is a value.
• Practical Tip: Effective for dashboards where space is limited.

Step 7: Find the 2nd Largest Value

• Use the formula =LARGE(array, 2) to find the second largest value in a range.
• Practical Tip: Useful for quick data analysis without sorting.

Step 8: Quick Date Formatting

• Quickly format dates using CTRL + SHIFT + 3.
• Practical Tip: This streamlines data entry for date-related information.

Step 9: Quick Number Formats in Pivots

• Use the pivot table options to quickly format numbers.
• How to Access: Right-click on the values in the pivot table and choose Value Field Settings.
• Practical Tip: Helps maintain consistency in reporting.

Step 10: Create Easy Interactive Charts

• Combine slicers with charts for interactive data visualization.
• Practical Tip: Enhances presentations by allowing viewers to filter data live.

Step 11: Utilize Slicer for Charts

• Similar to tables, slicers can be linked to charts for dynamic updates.
• Practical Tip: Allows for a more engaging way to present data.

Step 12: Year-to-Date Totals in Pivots

• Calculate year-to-date totals using pivot tables and grouping.
• How to Group: Right-click on a date field in the pivot table and select Group.
• Practical Tip: Essential for financial reporting.

Step 13: Collapse and Expand Ribbon

• Use CTRL + F1 to quickly collapse or expand the ribbon in Excel.
• Practical Tip: Increases workspace visibility.

Step 14: Add Captions to Charts

• Add a subtitle to charts by inserting a text box.
• Practical Tip: Helps clarify what data is being represented.

Step 15: Explore the NEW Treemap Chart

• Use treemap charts to visualize hierarchical data.
• How to Access: Go to Insert > Charts > Treemap.
• Practical Tip: Great for showing proportions of categories.

Step 16: Create Impactful Tiny Charts

• Use sparklines for tiny, inline charts that summarize data trends.
• How to Insert: Select your data, go to Insert > Sparklines.
• Practical Tip: Keeps your reports concise while providing visual insights.

Step 17: Use Free Icons in Reports

• Utilize free icons from the web to enhance your reports visually.
• Practical Tip: Improves the aesthetic appeal of presentations.

Step 18: Lookup from Bottom

• Use INDEX and MATCH functions to find values from the bottom of a list.
• Example: =INDEX(A:A, MATCH(1, (B:B="criteria"), 0))
• Practical Tip: Useful for analyzing recent data.

Step 19: Navigate with CTRL + G

• Use CTRL + G to open the Go To dialog, allowing quick navigation to any cell or range.
• Practical Tip: Speeds up the process of finding specific data.

Step 20: Quick Age Grouping in Pivots

• Group age data in pivot tables for better analysis.
• How to Group: Right-click on age data and select Group.
• Practical Tip: Helps in demographic analysis.

Step 21: Rearrange Pivot Row Labels

• Drag and drop pivot row labels to rearrange them.
• Practical Tip: Customizes the view to highlight key data.

Step 22: Simplify Large Pivots

• Use filters and slicers to make large pivot tables easier to read.
• Practical Tip: Essential for large datasets.

Step 23: Fix Date Formats

• Use the TEXT function to fix inconsistent date formats.
• Example: =TEXT(A1, "dd-mm-yyyy")
• Practical Tip: Ensures uniformity in date presentations.

Step 24: Include Emojis in Formulas

• You can include emojis in your Excel formulas for added flair.
• Example: Use ="Happy 😀".
• Practical Tip: Engages viewers and makes reports more relatable.

Step 25: Get Live Stock Prices

• Use the WEBSERVICE function to pull live stock data.
• Example: =WEBSERVICE("URL")
• Practical Tip: Keep your financial models up to date with real-time data.

Step 26: Use Printing Tricks

• Adjust scaling and margins for better print layouts.
• Practical Tip: Check print preview before printing to ensure everything fits.

Step 27: Use Data Bars for Visuals

• Apply conditional formatting with data bars to visualize values.
• Practical Tip: Great for quickly assessing data trends.

Step 28: Spell Check with F7

• Use F7 to run a spell check on your Excel sheets.
• Practical Tip: Ensures your reports are professional and free of errors.

Step 29: Create Smart Chart Titles

• Use cell references in your chart titles for dynamic titles.
• Example: Set the title to =A1 for an automatic update.
• Practical Tip: Keeps your charts relevant to the data displayed.

Step 30: Temporarily Hide Charts

• Use the hide feature to temporarily remove charts from view without deleting them.
• Practical Tip: Helps maintain a clean workspace when focusing on data.

Conclusion

These 30 advanced Excel tips can significantly enhance your productivity and reporting capabilities within the application. By implementing these strategies, you can streamline your workflows and create more engaging presentations. Explore these tips further and consider practicing them in your own Excel projects to fully grasp their potential. Happy Excel-ing!