Excel puts lots of great tools on your desktop, but what each one of them does isn't always obvious, especially since so many Excel features are hidden.
Would you like to create multiple lines of text within a cell? There's a keystroke for that. What if you want to reuse a chart's formatting on another chart, or print multiple worksheets on a single sheet of paper? Those aren't the only timesaving tools at your fingertips. Here's how to find and use them to work smarter in Excel.
1. Make New Text Lines in a Cell
Instead, to start a new line in Microsoft Excel, as you're typing text, press Alt-Enter. On the Mac, the key combination is Control-Option-Return.
2. Quickly Add Values in Cells
You can also view other calculations in the Status Bar by right-clicking the Status Bar and choosing from the calculations listed there; aside from Sum, you'll find Average, Count, Numerical Count (the quantity of cells selected that contain numerical values), Minimum, and Maximum.
3. Create a Reusable Chart Template
First create one chart and format it as you want all of the charts to look in the future. To save the chart formatting and appearance (but not the data) as a template, choose Chart Tools, go to the Design tab, select Save as Template, and then type a name for your template. The entry in the Save As Type box should read 'Chart Template Files(*.crtx)'; if it doesn't, select that option from the drop-down list. Click Save.
To use this template to format a new chart, begin by selecting the data to chart. From the Ribbon toolbar, choose Insert, Other Charts, and then All Charts Types. Now click the Templates option. From the My Templates group, select the template you saved, and click OK. Your new chart will have the same formatting as the chart template, saving you from having to do the work again yourself.
4. Format and Chart Far-Flung Data
You can use the same technique to chart cells that don’t appear side by side, as well. For example, if you need to create a chart from a table of data using the headings in the first column and the data from the fourth column, first select the headings in the first column. Then hold Ctrl as you select the matching data in the cells in the fourth column. Afterward, create a chart, just as you would any regular chart.
5. Keep an Eye on Data With a Watch Window
To set up a Watch Window, click the left mouse button within one cell that you want to watch. From the Ribbon toolbar, choose Formulas, Watch Window. When the Watch Window dialog box appears, click Add Watch. Because you've already selected the cell, you simply need to confirm that the reference to it in the dialog box is correct, and then click Add.
Now return to the area of your worksheet that you're editing. As you do so, you'll see that the Watch Window floats atop the worksheet, allowing you to work on your data. While you edit, the Watch Window shows the other cells, reflecting the changes you're making. You can move and resize the Watch Window as you wish, and use the Add Watch button to view additional cells in the Watch Window--even cells on another sheet--so that you can track the results in multiple cells as you work.