After gathering our IT Service Desk gurus to share their best-kept Excel secrets, we compiled this list of game-changing techniques that will help you work faster, smarter, and with fewer errors. Whether you’re in finance reconciling budgets, operations managing reports, or sales tracking customer data, mastering Excel can increase efficiency, improve accuracy, and reduce manual effort.
With Microsoft 365 Support, businesses can take full advantage of Excel’s advanced features, ensuring teams spend less time fixing spreadsheets and more time making data-driven decisions.
Speed up navigation and data management
Large datasets can quickly become overwhelming, especially when dealing with financial records, project tracking, or customer reports. Instead of scrolling endlessly or manually selecting data, use these shortcuts:
- Jump to the edges of your data by holding Ctrl while pressing arrow keys. Add Shift to highlight as you go – perfect for selecting large data ranges.
- Select entire rows or columns instantly with Ctrl + Space for columns and Shift + Space for rows. Ideal for applying bulk formatting.
- Freeze panes to keep headers in view when working with extensive reports. Use View > Freeze Panes to lock column titles in place.
- Go To Special (Ctrl + G, Alt + S) allows quick selection of blanks, formulas, or specific data types, saving time when cleaning up messy spreadsheets.
Smart data entry and formatting
Manual data entry often leads to inconsistencies. These tools streamline input and formatting, reducing errors and increasing efficiency:
- Flash Fill predicts patterns as you type. If you need to format names, extract numbers from text, or split data into columns, press Ctrl + E to apply formatting automatically.
- Custom number formatting simplifies reporting. Use #,##0 for financial data, [h]:mm:ss for tracking work hours, or 00000 for maintaining leading zeros in ID numbers.
- Remove duplicates instantly with Data > Remove Duplicates. Essential for cleaning up customer lists, payroll entries, or sales records.
- Data validation prevents input errors. Need consistent department names, invoice categories, or order statuses? Use Data > Data Validation to create dropdown lists and restrict incorrect entries.
Hidden power of formulas
Excel’s formulas can automate calculations and simplify reporting. If you’re working with sales data, financial projections, or customer metrics, these formulas are a must:
- Use INDIRECT for dynamic referencing. When building dashboards that change based on user input, =INDIRECT(A1) ensures formulas pull data based on a selected cell’s value.
- XLOOKUP replaces VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP. Search for customer orders, product SKUs, or invoices effortlessly – XLOOKUP allows for leftward lookups and error handling.
- SUMIFS and COUNTIFS enable fast filtering of data. Quickly sum revenue by region or count transactions above a threshold without needing complex array formulas.
- TEXTJOIN outperforms CONCATENATE for merging multiple cells, making it ideal for creating structured email addresses or invoice references from multiple fields.
Pivot tables and data insights
Pivot tables transform raw data into insights, helping businesses track trends, identify top-performing products, and streamline reporting.
- Create pivot tables instantly with Alt + N + V, summarising thousands of rows in seconds.
- Group data dynamically by month, quarter, or category by right-clicking inside a pivot table – perfect for forecasting and sales analysis.
- Slicers improve report interactivity. Instead of manually filtering data, add slicers to make it easier to adjust reports based on criteria such as department, location, or timeframe.
- Conditional formatting within pivot tables highlights key trends, making insights more actionable at a glance.
Automate repetitive tasks
If you find yourself repeating the same actions daily, Excel’s automation features will save hours of work each week.
- Record macros to automate formatting, filtering, and calculations. Go to Developer > Record Macro and create reusable actions for common tasks.
- Power Query cleans and merges data from multiple sources. Essential for finance teams consolidating reports from different systems or sales teams tracking leads across platforms.
- Customise the Quick Access Toolbar to keep your most-used functions a click away, reducing repetitive navigation.
Collaboration and security best practices
When multiple users work in Excel files, it’s important to protect data while ensuring seamless collaboration.
- Protect sheets or workbooks to lock down formulas and prevent accidental edits. Use Review > Protect Sheet to control who can make changes.
- Track changes and version history using Excel Online or SharePoint to avoid losing critical edits and maintain a record of updates.
- Use comments and notes effectively with Shift + F2 to add insights for team members, or @mentions for real-time collaboration.
Hidden gems for power users
Excel has built-in tools that go beyond standard data entry and calculations, providing advanced analysis capabilities:
- Goal Seek for instant scenario analysis. If you need to determine how much revenue is needed to hit a target, use Data > What-If Analysis > Goal Seek to reverse-engineer inputs.
- Solver for complex problem-solving. Ideal for businesses needing to optimise supply chains, staffing schedules, or financial forecasts under constraints.
- Get & Transform connects Excel to live data sources. Automate updates by linking to external databases, APIs, or web pages, ensuring reports always reflect the latest figures.
Conclusion
Excel is a powerful tool, but most businesses only scratch the surface of its capabilities. By applying these techniques, teams can work faster, reduce errors, and uncover deeper insights – whether managing budgets, analysing sales trends, or streamlining operations.
With Microsoft 365 Support, businesses can take full advantage of Excel’s features while ensuring their teams are equipped with best practices, automation, and security measures.
Need to optimise your organisation’s use of Excel and Microsoft 365? Our Microsoft 365 Support team is here to help.
