Simple Ways to Get More Out of Microsoft Excel

There can be few people who have never used Microsoft Excel at work at least once. Yet, many people tiptoe around this program, using only the most basic features instead of getting the full benefit of it.

The truth is that there are some incredibly simple ways to get more out of this software. 

Learn the Shortcuts

There are a number of interesting shortcuts that are designed to make life a whole lot easier for Excel users. However, it is clear that many a lot of people are completely unaware of them.

For example, you can open a new workbook with CTRL + N. In the same way, CTRL + S will save the workbook for you. There are dozens of other shortcuts like this that are very useful in saving time.

This might seem like a fairly minor point, as each one probably only saves you a second or two. Yet, if you or someone in the team needs to use Excel a lot then these shortcuts can be of great benefit in saving time and effort.

Figure Out the Different Functions

Excel is filled with a huge range of functions. The chances are that you will only ever need to use a few of them, but it is important to understand what is available in order to choose wisely.

These range from basic calculations such as additions and subtractions to far more complicated formulae. For instance, you can work out future loan repayments, calculate average figures or locate the data that meets certain criteria.

If you find the functions that suit your business requirements then this will make a big difference to the speed and accuracy with which you can gather the information that you need.

Get an Expert on Your Team

It seems safe to say that most people can carry out at least the most basic tasks on Excel these days. This is good enough for a lot of the most common jobs you might need done, but could there be times when you need more expertise?

It is a good to send at least one staff member off on an Excel training course. In this way, you will be sure that you have someone in the company who can carry out more complex tasks whenever their expertise is needed.

Use Flash Fill or Import Data

Typing in data manually is one of those jobs that people hate doing. It can be extremely time-consuming and boring, as well as having the risk of information being typed incorrectly. Any mistakes made in this way can lead to big problems, as well as being difficult to identify.

Importing in the data makes a lot of sense for these reasons. This is a quick and painless way of filling the spreadsheet with the right information. Flash fill is another useful feature that sees the software work out what it thinks you want to type, based on what has gone before.

These processes can help to make a big difference to the speed that you get data added, and also to the degree that you can then depend upon the information.  

Understand the Exact Ways It Can Help Your Business

As we have seen, there are a number of ways that you can integrate Microsoft Excel into your business for excellent results. Therefore, the next step is to work out exactly what you need. 

By taking the time to consider what you need, it is far more likely that you find the perfect solution for your company. You certainly shouldn’t under-estimate Excel and think that it can only be used for very simple data gathering.