Hey! It’s Spreadsheet Day! Woop Woop!
I’m not even kidding, this is a real thing. Just google it and you will see. On 17 October 1979 the first spreadsheet program, Visicalc, became available for on the Apple II computer. This is what it looked like back then (image from Wikipedia)
Whilst a lot has changed since then, at its heart all spreadsheets are about making life just a little simpler by organizing data into rows and columns.
As Excel geeks, I think we should celebrate Spreadsheet day. Without Viscalc who knows where we would be. I’m not going to over complicate things with VBA code examples, instead, lets get back to basics. In a Brainscape blog post from a few years back, it was estimated that you could be wasting 64 hours (that’s 8 working days!) per year by not using keyboard shortcuts. So, with that in mind, here are a few of my favorite Excel shortcuts which I use every day.
Shortcuts
Ctrl + 1 : Opens the Format window for whatever you’ve selected (cells, charts, shapes etc.)
Ctrl + B : Makes the text in the cell bold
Ctrl + I : Makes the text in the cell italic
Ctrl + U : Underlines the text is the cell
Ctrl + 0 : Hide columns
Ctrl + 9 : Hide rows
Ctrl + | : Toggle between showing values or formulas
Ctrl + S : Save the worksheet
F2 : Edit the active cell
F4 : Repeat the previous action
Ctrl + Shift + + : Insert a new row/column
Ctrl + – : Delete the selected row or column
Ctrl + C : Copy
Ctrl + V : Paste
Ctrl + Z : Undo
Ctrl + Y : Redo the undo
Ctrl + Shift + $ : Apply currency formatting
Ctrl + Shift + % : Apply percentage formatting
Quick Access Toolbar
Don’t forget that you can create your own keyboard shortcuts by using your Quick Access Toolbar. Pressing the Alt key will give the buttons on the Quick Access Toolbar a number. Press that number and Ta-Dah! You’ve now got your own customized shortcuts.
About the author
Hey, I’m Mark, and I run Excel Off The Grid.
My parents tell me that at the age of 7 I declared I was going to become a qualified accountant. I was either psychic or had no imagination, as that is exactly what happened. However, it wasn't until I was 35 that my journey really began.
In 2015, I started a new job, for which I was regularly working after 10pm. As a result, I rarely saw my children during the week. So, I started searching for the secrets to automating Excel. I discovered that by building a small number of simple tools, I could combine them together in different ways to automate nearly all my regular tasks. This meant I could work less hours (and I got pay raises!). Today, I teach these techniques to other professionals in our training program so they too can spend less time at work (and more time with their children and doing the things they love).
Do you need help adapting this post to your needs?
I'm guessing the examples in this post don't exactly match your situation. We all use Excel differently, so it's impossible to write a post that will meet everybody's needs. By taking the time to understand the techniques and principles in this post (and elsewhere on this site), you should be able to adapt it to your needs.
But, if you're still struggling you should:
- Read other blogs, or watch YouTube videos on the same topic. You will benefit much more by discovering your own solutions.
- Ask the 'Excel Ninja' in your office. It's amazing what things other people know.
- Ask a question in a forum like Mr Excel, or the Microsoft Answers Community. Remember, the people on these forums are generally giving their time for free. So take care to craft your question, make sure it's clear and concise. List all the things you've tried, and provide screenshots, code segments and example workbooks.
- Use Excel Rescue, who are my consultancy partner. They help by providing solutions to smaller Excel problems.
What next?
Don't go yet, there is plenty more to learn on Excel Off The Grid. Check out the latest posts:
