While we rely on Excel for everything from simple budgeting to complex data analysis, many of us are still stuck using the same basic functions and tricks we learned years ago. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Over the years, I have discovered a treasure trove of hidden shortcuts, clever tips, and time-saving techniques that have transformed the way I use Excel.

In this post, I will share some of my favorite tricks that have boosted my Excel workflow and helped me save countless hours.

8 Explore Excel templates library

Being the oldest spreadsheet software, there is no shortage of templates for Excel. Whenever I want to start a new workbook, I first head to the official templates library to find a suitable option that has the basic structure, formulas, and formatting in place. This eliminates a huge chunk of manual work and allows me to focus on entering data and customizing the template to meet my specific needs.

The official templates are created by experts and thoroughly tested, so they minimize the risk of errors that can creep in when you build a spreadsheet yourself. Besides, these templates are designed with a professional aesthetic to give a polished look to your spreadsheets.

7 Check for unnecessary add-ins

There are hundreds of add-ins for Excel. While they are useful in extending your workbook functionality, you don’t necessarily need them every time. Having too many add-ins enabled, especially those you rarely or never use, can significantly slow down Excel's performance.

1. Launch Excel and click File at the top.
2. Select Options.
3. Click Add-ins. Select Go.
4. Disable unnecessary add-ins and you are good to go.

By disabling unnecessary add-ins, you can free up system resources, improve Excel's startup time, and enjoy a smoother workflow.

6 Learn essential Excel keyboard shortcuts

This shouldn’t come as a surprise. There are hundreds of keyboard shortcuts for Excel. Among them, you can master some of the essential ones to speed up your workflow. Instead of spending minutes scrolling and clicking, you complete the task in mere seconds without moving your fingers from the keyboard. It reduces errors, increases efficiency, and demonstrates your proficiency in Excel in front of your boss and co-workers.

Let’s go over some of the lesser-known keyboard shortcuts for Excel.

• Ctrl + Shift + ; : Insert the current time
• Ctrl + ; : Insert the current date
• Ctrl + 9: Hide the selected rows
• Ctrl + 0: Hide the selected columns
• Ctrl + Shift + A: Insert arguments in a formula
• Ctrl + Shift + F4: Close the active workbook
• F11: Create a chart from the selected data in a new sheet
• Alt + W + F: Freeze panes to keep specific rows or columns visible while scrolling

I haven’t even scratched the surface here. Don't try to memorize them all at once. Begin with a few that are relevant to your most frequent tasks and practice them regularly.

5 Apply formatting automatically

Conditional formatting is a powerful tool in Excel that allows you to automatically apply formatting to cells based on their values or conditions. This saves you from manually scanning large datasets to find the information you need.

Suppose you are handling inventory management in Excel. You can use conditional formatting to highlight cells in yellow where inventory levels are below a certain threshold. Similarly, financial analysts can use color scales to visualize the performance of different investments over time.

While conditional formatting is useful, you shouldn’t go overboard with too many rules, as it may slow down your workbook.

4 Leverage pivot tables

Pivot tables offer a robust way to summarize, analyze, and explore large datasets with incredible speed and flexibility. They basically act as dynamic tables that aggregate information and calculate sums, averages, counts, and more. You don’t need to deal with manual formulas and tedious calculations.

For example, if you are a sales analyst, you can use pivot tables to instantly summarize sales data by region or product. And when your source data changes, pivot tables can be refreshed with just a single click.

3 Use data validation

Data validation is a crucial feature in Excel that allows you to control the type of data that can be entered into a cell. This reduces the risk of errors that can lead to inaccurate calculations, flawed analysis, and, ultimately, poor decision-making.

1. Open an Excel sheet and select a column. Navigate to Data > Data Tools > Data Validation.
2. Select List type, click the up arrow beside Source.
3. Select values that you want to add and click OK.
4. You can now see a drop-down menu appearing under all the cells in a specific column.

2 Create and use macros

Macros in Excel are like mini-programs that automate repetitive tasks. They can record a sequence of actions, such as formatting cells, inserting formulas, or generating reports, and then replay them with a single click or keyboard shortcut.

Suppose you work for a marketing agency and manage social media campaigns for multiple clients. Every week, you receive performance reports from different platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) in separate Excel files.

You can now create a macro that opens each report file, identifies and copies the relevant data, creates a new worksheet, pastes the data, applies consistent formatting, and generates charts. The possibilities are endless here.

1 Familiarize yourself with functions

Formulas and functions are the backbone of Excel. You can analyze data, automate tasks, and unlock the full potential of spreadsheets. Excel has a bunch of built-in functions in different categories like math, text, date & time, logical, financial, lookup & references, and statistical information.

For example, the IF function allows you to create conditional calculations. In a sales report, you can use IF to automatically categorize sales as "High" if they exceed a certain threshold, "Medium" if they fall within a specific range, and "Low" otherwise. This eliminates manual categorization and ensures consistency.

Unlocking Excel efficiency

The tips above are guaranteed to boost your efficiency and make you an Excel whiz. What are you waiting for? Start incorporating these tricks into your daily routine and watch your productivity soar. Do not hesitate to continue experimenting, exploring new features, and pushing the boundaries of Excel's capabilities. After all, there are many creative ways to use Microsoft’s spreadsheet software beyond number crunching.