Excel Smart Tips: 54 Ways to Supercharge your Sheets

Excel treats dates as numbers, which means you can perform calculations with them. Learn how to add and subtract dates and times by calculating how many days old you are.

Learn the syntax and grammar of all functions in Excel.

Extract parts of a text string using the left, mid, and right functions.

Use advanced text functions to control formatting, count characters (LEN function), or find specific phrases in a text string.

Use the concatenate function and a shorthand version to combine multiple values into a single cell.

Learn how to break up the text in a single cell into multiple columns.

Ever wonder what the Dollar signs in formulas are about? They signify absolute vs. relative references. Learn what that means and how to take advantage of them in your formulas.

Add capabilities to functions by nesting one function inside another.

Use Trace Precedents and Dependents arrows to point to associated variables of a formula.

Use the Error checking tool to watch a formula work through a calculation.

Use the Show Forumulas tool to toggle between a formula and its result to understand how a spreadsheet is set up.

Assign a custom name to a range of cells to reference that range in formulas.

Create linked data that dynamically updates if the source data changes

Learn how to save a custom date format.

Use keyboard shortcuts and special selections to insert multiple or non-sequential rows and columns.

Resize your rows and columns to exactly fit the data.

Dynamically format cells based on their values to help you understand trends in your data.

Save multiple settings for a format to be used in future spreadsheets.

Understand the capabilities and consequences of using the Wrap Text and Merge Cells tools

Draw borders dynamically and exactly as you want

Use the format painter to copy the format of one cell to as many other cells as you like

Use the autofill handle to copy formulas and extend any pattern with a simple click and drag.

Create a custom pattern with a simple click and drag.

Take any list or table and rotate it to swap the rows and columns.

Solve for a variable with the Goal Seek tool.

Learn some useful shortcuts for formatting your spreadsheets

Store multiple values for the same cell with the scenario manager

Limit the possible values for a cell and create a dropdown menu to select values

Solve for a complex set of variables with the Solver add on

Visit the last row and column, and learn the limitations of Excel

Quickly modify numbers with the paste special tool

Add and customize Sparklines as small charts within a cell

Turn on the developer toolbar and add buttons that link to cells

Set multiple views for a spreadsheet and easily toggle between them

Combine multiple data sets into a single table with Consolidate

Format lists as a table to automatically include new data for analysis.

Add subtotal rows to a list in a few clicks.

Easily find and remove duplicate records in a list.

Use the Advanced Filter tool for additional options to filter a list

Use Freeze Panes to lock rows and columns for easy reading of large data sets.

Set protection for cells, sheets and workbooks.

Use Split Panes to create multiple scroll directions

Set your print area, create custom margins, shrink data to fit on a page

Create and understand the basics of how to use Pivot Tables

Change the default calculations for pivot data to understand trends more effectively

Create a new sheet with the source data that's generating a value in a Pivot Table.

Create and understand the 3 basic types of charts used in Excel.

Add and modify a secondary Y axis for charts when datasets are on different scales.

Manipulate pie charts effectively, including 3D charts and setting labels correctly

Generate a pivot chart to visually represent the dynamic functionality of a pivot table

Turn on and customize Slicers for Pivot Tables

Add multiple Pivot Tables to the same sheet to consolidate your analysis

Save charts as a custom template and set as the default template to program a keyboard shortcut