Maximize Excel: Tips and Tricks I
Presented by David H. Ringstrom, CPA
 

Duration: 100 minutes

In this presentation, CPA and author of "Microsoft 365 Excel for Dummies" David Ringstrom shares a wide range of practical speed tips designed to help you work more efficiently in Excel. David demonstrates techniques for navigating worksheets more quickly, preventing accidental file closures, and closing all workbooks at once. You’ll learn how to streamline everyday tasks using the Search feature, customizing the Quick Access Toolbar, freezing panes, and applying rapid formatting shortcuts. David also covers powerful keyboard techniques, the Format Painter double-click trick, and methods for accelerating data analysis with filtering tools, Subtotals, tables, and slicers. The session concludes with ways to generate charts faster, including Recommended Charts and self-expanding charts that update automatically as your data grows.

David demonstrates every technique at least twice: first, on a PowerPoint slide with numbered steps, and second, in the subscription-based Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365) version of Excel. David draws your attention to any differences in the older versions of Excel (2021, 2019, 2016 and earlier) during the presentation as well as in his detailed handouts. David also provides an Excel workbook that includes most of the examples he uses during the webcast.

Microsoft 365 is a subscription-based product that provides new feature updates as often as monthly. Conversely, the perpetual licensed versions of Excel have feature sets that don't change. Perpetual licensed versions have year numbers, such as Excel 2021, Excel 2019, and so on.

Who should attend: Excel users who want to work faster and more confidently, including analysts, accountants, administrative professionals, and anyone seeking to streamline repetitive tasks in Microsoft Excel.

Topics typically covered:

• Inserting totals into lists using the Subtotal feature.

• Preventing chart resize issues by using Excel tables.

• Creating a filter shortcut on the Quick Access Toolbar.

• Creating keyboard shortcuts for repetitive Excel tasks.

• Overcoming user interface annoyances by making simple adjustments to Excel’s options.

• Using the Recommended Charts feature to create suitable charts from data with a couple of mouse clicks.

• Surfacing hidden Excel commands instantly by way of the Search (formerly Tell Me) feature.

• Simplifying filtering tasks by adding a Clear Filter shortcut to the Quick Access Toolbar.

• Filtering tables quickly using the Slicer feature.

• Adding totals and filters that automatically adjust based on which rows are visible

• Selecting various areas of a worksheet with keyboard shortcuts.

• Creating a shortcut that closes all open workbooks at once.

Learning objectives:

• State which Excel feature allows you to lock specific rows and/or columns so they remain visible while scrolling.

• State which Quick Access Toolbar icon allows you to paste column widiths.

• State the Quick Access Toolbar command that allows you to filter a list based on a cell's contents with one click.
 

Level: Intermediate

NASBA Field of Study: Computer Software & Applications

Program Prerequisites: Prior experience with Microsoft Excel is recommended.

Advance Preparation: None