Excel Tips You Can Use Right Now

If you spend any time with data, you’ve probably opened an Excel file and felt overwhelmed by rows, columns, and endless formulas. The good news? A handful of simple tricks can cut your work time in half. Below are the most useful tips you can start using today.

Speed Up Navigation with Keyboard Shortcuts

First, stop reaching for the mouse. Press Ctrl + Arrow to jump to the edge of a data block, Ctrl + Shift + L to toggle filters, and Alt + = to sum a column instantly. These shortcuts keep your hands on the keyboard and your mind on the numbers.

Make Formulas Work Smarter, Not Harder

Next, use built‑in functions to avoid repeating work. IFERROR hides ugly error messages, while SUMIFS lets you add values based on multiple conditions. Need to combine text? TEXTJOIN merges cells with a chosen separator, saving you from messy concatenation.

When you copy a formula across a range, lock the reference you don’t want to change with $. For example, $A$1 always points to cell A1, no matter where you paste.

Another time‑saver is the Flash Fill feature. Start typing the pattern you want in the adjacent column, then hit Ctrl + E. Excel guesses the rest and fills it for you.

Conditional formatting can highlight key data without manual checks. Set a rule to color any value over a target, or use data bars to visualize progress right inside the cell.

If you regularly import data, use Power Query. It lets you clean, merge, and reshape data with a few clicks, then refresh whenever the source changes.

Tables are more than just pretty borders. Convert a range to a table (Ctrl + T) and you get automatic filters, structured references, and dynamic ranges that grow as you add rows.

Pivot tables turn a flat list into a quick summary. Drag fields into rows, columns, and values, then slice the data with filters. You can even add calculated fields for custom totals.

Finally, protect sensitive sheets. Use Review > Protect Sheet to lock cells you don’t want edited, and set a password if needed.

These tips may feel small, but together they make Excel feel like a fast, reliable assistant instead of a slow, clunky file. Try one today, then add another tomorrow—your spreadsheets will thank you.