Maximize Excel: Nuances Revealed

Date: 12/13/2024

Time: 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM EST

CPE Credit: 2 hours

Excel expert David Ringstrom, CPA, is fond of saying, “Either you work Excel, or it works you.” This is especially true when subtle nuances in Excel can cause users to become frustrated. In this invaluable session, David focuses on aspects of Excel you may have overlooked, as well as solutions to problems you may have encountered.

Sometimes problems arise when new Excel features aren’t backward compatible. In other instances, when you upgrade to a new version of Excel, you might find that a feature you’ve long used has been removed or replaced.

Among other topics, David covers:

• Using prebuilt, free templates to get a jump start on creating spreadsheets.

• Transforming filtering tasks with the Table feature.

• Learning why certain features are disabled in some workbooks.

• Creating your own keyboard shortcuts to simplify repetitive tasks . . .  and many more.

David’s tips and tricks will help you avoid any frustrations you might encounter when working in Excel.

David teaches from the version of Excel in use by the majority of attendees, but he explains any differences in Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. His webcasts are fast-paced, and attendees often are surprised at the amount of ground he covers in a session. He welcomes participants’ questions, so come ready to pick his brain. David’s detailed handouts, with numbered steps, serve as reference material you can utilize going forward. He also provides an Excel workbook that includes a majority of the examples he uses to demonstrate techniques during the presentation.

Topics Covered:

• Avoid creating spreadsheets from scratch: use prebuilt templates or create your own.
• Avoid disabled features by converting Excel 97–2003 files to modern workbook formats with ease.
• Avoid frustration by understanding the nuances between Enter and Edit modes.
• Convert .XLS workbooks to the up-to-date .XLSX format with just two keystrokes.
• Disable the GETPIVOTDATA function if it’s not needed for your analysis.
• Discover a simple trick that allows you to skip the OK button within Excel’s dialog boxes.
• Discover how to quickly access folders and workbooks, regardless of whether they’re stored on your computer or on a network.
•  Discover techniques that automatically provide fallback positions in the event you need to see an earlier version of your spreadsheet.
• Drill down into numbers with a double-click—or prevent other users from being able to do so.
• Get a jump start on spreadsheet projects by using free, prebuilt templates in Excel.
• Learn how the Table feature allows you to transform filtering tasks.
• Learn how to deal with annoying changes to Print Preview in Word 2010 and later.
• Learn how to use the undocumented DATEDIF worksheet function.
• Learn the risks of linked workbooks, determine if a workbook contains links, and see how links can hide within Excel features.
• Learn the risks—and rewards—of double-clicking on the Fill Handle feature in Excel.
• Learn which features, such as Custom Views, you can’t use when one or more tables exist in a workbook.
• Learn why certain features, including slicers, sparklines, and charts, are disabled in some workbooks.
• Manage cumbersome lists of data using the Table feature.
• Navigate large workbooks with ease by way of a hidden menu as well as keyboard shortcuts.
• Overcome user interface annoyances by making simple adjustments to Excel’s options.
• See how the Sparkline feature empowers you to create tiny, in-cell charts for showing trends of data.
• Simplify repetitive tasks by creating your own keyboard shortcuts.
• Switch between Custom Views by way of a hidden drop-down list you can enable on Excel's Quick Access Toolbar.
• Use Excel’s Custom Views feature to hide and unhide multiple worksheets with ease.
• Use the CLEAN and TRIM functions to eliminate non-printing characters, such as tabs, carriage returns, and spaces, in your data that can trigger #VALUE! and other errors.
• Use the Table feature in Excel 2007 and later to create charts that expand or contract automatically as your source data changes.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize that some features may work in one version of Excel but not another.
• Recall why commonly used Excel features sometimes might be disabled.
• Apply mouse actions and keyboard shortcuts to overcome default features or behaviors in Excel.