Custom Spreadsheet Solutions
Productivity – powered by Excel

Displaying Numbers just the way you want.

Displaying numbers in a cell is an important part of making your data easily readable. The way a number is displayed in a cell can be different to the data that is stored in the background. You can change the way the data looks by formatting the cell. Use the Number section on the Home […]

How to fit in… your data into a cell.

Fitting data into a cell can be tricky, but with a few simple tricks and tips, you can fit the data into the size and shape of cell that you want. Resize your columns. You can change the width of an individual column (or row height) by moving your mouse pointer to the line between […]

Powerful Filter Button Options.

Once you have added Filter buttons to your data, either via the home menu or because you have a table, you have a lot of powerful options on how to use them. Filter by Color – if you have colours on your cells, either from formatting or conditional formatting, you can use this to filter […]

Getting started with Filter buttons.

Add Filter buttons to your data in Excel using Sort and Filter, then Filter. Found on the Home Menu. (Shortcut keys: Alt H, S, F). If you make your data into a Table, then you get the Filter buttons automatically. Learn more about Tables here. If you add filters to your data, you can access […]

Get your life in order, or at least your data with Custom Sort.

To get your data in just the right order, use Custom Sort. Found on the Home Menu, under Sort & Filter. (Shortcut keys Alt, H, S, U). Make sure you have selected a cell within the data you want to be sorting, otherwise Excel gives you an error message. Once you have the Custom Sort […]

Get Sorted, with Sort

If you have data in a list and you want to change the order, then you need to Sort. The simplest place to find sort is on the Home Menu, Under Sort & Filter. (Alt, H, S, S) If you have pre-selected a cell in the column you want to sort by, just choose Sort […]

Workbook, Worksheets, and Cells: Excel Terminology.

There is some terminology that is important to understand when using an Excel spreadsheet. The workbook is the whole file. You can change the name of the workbook by saving the file with a new name, or editing the name in windows explorer. A workbook can have one or more worksheets. Each worksheet is listed […]

Can I check the spelling in my Excel spreadsheet?

Yes, you can spell check your Excel spreadsheet. On the Review Menu, Spelling. Shortcut keys: Alt, R, S. There are other handy functions here as well. Workbook statistics tells you what your current sheet, and the workbook contain. Number of tables, where the last cell is, how many sheets there are, useful stuff if you […]

Much more efficient manual entry

As much as I like to automate tasks, and avoid manual entry, sometimes it is unavoidable. But when it is required, it too can be done in an efficient or inefficient way. I see people type into one cell, then use their mouse to click in the next cell to enter the next piece of […]

Sum, Sum, Sum: Autosum: how to add in Excel.

Adding a column (or row) of numbers is possibly the most common thing you first come across when learning about spreadsheet formulas. There are multiple ways to enter the SUM function. Shortcut Key: ALT + = (That is holding down the ALT key, and the pressing the = key). Make sure you have selected the […]