Do you often feel like you are spending more time managing your data in Excel than actually analyzing it? I get it. For years, I navigated spreadsheets with the same basic tools. That was until I stumbled upon a collection of power-user techniques to turn tedious tasks into lightning-fast operations.
These aren’t your basic SUM and AVERAGE functions; I will talk about shortcuts, hidden features, and clever techniques that separate the Excel newbie from the true power user.
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7
Record macros for repetitive tasks
Automate your spreadsheets
Your complex Excel workflow is simply incomplete without macros. You can think of macros as mini-programs within Excel that record a sequence of your actions. You perform the task once, and Excel remembers every click and every keystroke. Then, you can replay that sequence with a keyboard shortcut.
I receive a sales report every week that’s always in the same terrible format: inconsistent dates, product IDs that need cleaning, sales figures needing formatting, unnecessary columns, and irrelevant headers. I have created a macro called FormatSalesRerport that cleans up the report, and assigned a shortcut key (Ctrl + Shift + S) to run it.
Now, every week, instead of spending an hour, I simply open the report, press Ctrl + Shift + S, and the report is perfectly formatted, cleaned, and summarized.
6
Pick from the drop-down list
Avoid data validation
This is a small but handy trick I use to save precious time every week. I often deal with large databases in Excel, and I always use a drop-down menu to ensure accuracy and avoid any typos. Usually, I need to use data validation, which requires several clicks to get the job done. Instead, I right-click on a cell, select pick from drop-down list, and insert a relevant value or text in no time.
5
Bookmark your cells
Find a relevant cell quickly
This is one of the Excel hacks I wish I knew earlier. Whenever I’m dealing with large datasets, I bookmark certain cells so that I can navigate them quickly. Let’s check it in action.
- Select an Excel cell you want to bookmark.
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Click the search bar in the top left corner and give it a unique name. Press Enter, and you are good to go.
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You can click the same menu, pick a bookmark, and navigate to the cell.
4
Explore Python integration
Take your Excel workflow to the next level
Excel is fantastic for organizing data and basic calculations, but it can become cumbersome for complex analysis, automation, and large datasets. That’s where Python comes in. Python is a powerful programming language with libraries like Pandas, which are excellent for data manipulation and cleaning, complex calculations, data visualization, and more.
By integrating Python into Excel, you get the best of both worlds: Excel’s familiar interface and data organization, combined with Python’s analytical prowess. Python integration can automate repetitive tasks, reduce the risk of manual errors, and streamline data processing and reporting in no time. Glance over my post below to learn why I’m a big fan of Python in Excel.
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3
Adopt time-saving Excel functions
Using XLOOKUP over VLOOKUP
I’ve really had to level up my Excel game over the years to keep up with the demands of my work. It’s not just about knowing the basics anymore. I’ve found that embracing these newer, more efficient functions is crucial for saving time and reducing errors.
For instance, switching to XLOOKUP from VLOOKUP was a revelation. VLOOKUP, as many of us know, has its limitations. It can only look to the right, and it’s prone to breaking if you insert or delete columns. XLOOKUP, on the other hand, is far more flexible. It can look to the left or right, and it’s less fragile.
2
Use Power Query
Transform messy data in no time
Aside from macros, I also use Power Query for anything involving data import and transformation. It basically eliminates manual cleaning and reformatting. Suppose you regularly get sales data from different regional teams, and each team sends it in a slightly different format (One might use Sales as the column header, another Revenue, and a third Total Sales).
You can use Power Query to set up a query once to connect to each data source, rename the columns to a consistent standard, convert dates to a uniform format, and filter out irrelevant data. The possibilities are endless with it.
1
Create an Excel dashboard
Design a neat overview of workbook
Creating dashboards with PivotCharts and Slicers in Excel has become essential in how I present data, and it saves me a ton of time in the long run. Instead of sending static reports, I build interactive dashboards that allow users to explore the data themselves.
For example, I always create a sales dashboard with different charts and slicers at the end of the year. That way, I know how all products, regional stores, and employees have performed and make decisions accordingly. I have elaborated the entire process in my post below.
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Here’s how I created a beautiful, easy-to-use dashboard in Excel
Turning data into art
Become an Excel wizard in no time
These Excel tricks have transformed my workflow. So what are you waiting for? By incorporating these techniques, you are not just learning new Excel tricks; you are fundamentally changing how you approach data. Begin with the ones that seem most relevant to your daily tasks and slowly adopt the rest. Aside from these tricks, you should also explore templates to save valuable hours in your workflow. Check out the best time-saver Excel templates for busy professionals.
