• Create an Excel file with millions of rows of data from the database with minimal impact on heap memory

https://github.com/patternknife/persistence-excel-bridge

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In our work, we often receive Excel tables with data in the same format. If we want to analyze these data, it can be difficult to analyze them because the data is spread across multiple Excel files or multiple sheets. At this point, we need to merge them into one Excel file or into a database for analysis and processing.

Example

As shown in the figure, we need to merge the data from four Excel files into one.

The headers of the files are the same, except for the data. Even if the headers are different, you can choose to ignore or add different columns

Using the ExcelToDatabase tool

Select the files to be merged, manually specify the target table, and enter the table name or select a table that already exists in the database

Wait a moment, and you can view the merged data in the database

Although the data is merged here, how can we distinguish which file each row of data comes from?
Select the Overwrite option in the import mode, switch to the database options interface, and fill in the Excel file name to be saved to the field

After re-importing the data, you can see that a new field has been added to the table

Here, the full name of the Excel file is added to the end of each row of data. What if you only want to save the date inside the file name?
Select the import mode as “reconstruction”, save the Excel file name (which can be extracted using regular expressions) to the column, select the date (YYYYMMDD), and fill in the field name with the date. If you want to extract other characters, you can write your own regular expression to extract them.

View the data again

Introduction and Download of ExcelToDatabase

• ExcelToDatabase – Automation tool for batch importing Excel files into MySQL/Oracle/SQL Server/PostgreSQL/Access/Hive/SQLite/Dameng database

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Though tech tools offer a wide variety of data management solutions, consolidating information from multiple sources remains a challenge. Making sense of disparate datasheets often relies on manual effort.

This is where power query can help by wrangling data from various origins into an integrated view.

As a marketing consultant, I work with multiple teams across a client’s business. To get a true picture of what’s going on with a SaaS company’s revenue funnel, for example, I typically need data from marketing, sales, customer success, and product.

However, the data I need typically gets collected across multiple locations and in different formats. Piecing everything together means getting everything in one place, in the same format, and able to be manipulated in whichever way is needed.

So, power query has been very useful to me over the years, and it’s not as complicated as you might think.

With power query, you can import, clean, transform, and merge datasets from multiple sources. Once you know how to use it, gathering and interpreting data from diverse sources becomes a whole lot easier.

• What is a power query?
• How to Use Power Queries in Excel
• Power Query Examples

What is a power query?

Power query is essentially a technology you can use within Excel to connect datasets together within an Excel spreadsheet. You can use power query to pull data from a range of sources, including webpages, databases, other spreadsheets, and multiple file types.

Once the data is imported, you can also use the power query editor to clean and transform the data. Finally, you can import the transformed data into your existing spreadsheet.

Common actions you can use in the power query editor after importing data include filtering, removing duplicates, splitting columns, formatting data, and merging data.

The core benefit is that tasks that would take you hours to do manually can be performed in minutes with power query. Plus, you can repeatedly use the same cleaning or transformation actions again at the click of a button when the data sources are updated.

With any advanced feature in Excel, there is a bit of a learning curve. But while it might take you a couple of tries to get familiar with power query, it has a pretty user-friendly interface once you know where everything is.

How to Use Power Queries in Excel

When learning how to use something like power query, the most useful method is with an example. The steps below can be applied to any type of data set, and the functionalities highlighted can be replaced with other ways to use queries as needed.

In this example, I’m pulling together sales data from two different geographic regions for analysis. The data comes from the U.S. and the U.K., with formatting and currencies that are written differently and formatted differently across two spreadsheets.

My goal is to combine these data sets in one sheet, with the data cleaned and easily interpreted and analyzed in one place.

Step 1. Open Excel and access power query.

First things first, open the main spreadsheet you’ll be working from. In this case, I’ve opened my USA sales spreadsheet, as this is where I want to clean and combine data.

In the main ribbon, click on “Data.” You’ll see “Get Data (Power Query)” as the first item in the Data ribbon.

Step 2. Import your data.

Click on the dropdown to access your power query options.

In this first step, we want to hit “Get Data,” so we can start a query using the data in the U.K. sales spreadsheet.

Clicking this option will open a window where you can choose a data source. As you’ll see, it’s possible to pull data from a wide range of sources, including shared SharePoint files.

In this case, we’re selecting “Excel workbook” to access the file that is stored locally on my computer. After making this selection, you simply browse your files for the right spreadsheet and hit “Get Data.”

Then, on the following screen, hit “Next.” From here, you can select specific sheets that you want to import. You’ll be able to preview the data before hitting “Load” to finalize the import.

If you select “Load” at this stage, power query will import the data into a new tab on your existing spreadsheet.

From there, you can select “Data” and “Launch Power Query Editor” to perform mass cleaning or updating of the imported data.

Step 3. Cleaning imported data.

If you prefer to clean your data before you import it, you can do so during the import stage.

Instead of selecting “Load” during the import process, you can select “Transform data,” which opens the Power Query Editor just like in the previous step.

For instance, the U.K. sales sheet contains the same data as the U.S. sheet, but it’s not formatted correctly. The currency format is not applied to the currency cell.

So, in Power Query Editor, I can select the “Transform” tab to edit the data before I import it (I could also do this if I imported the data first and then opened the Power Query Editor).

As you can see, there are tons of options available to you here. In this instance, I’m going to select the Currency column and selecting “Data type.”

From there, I can select the Currency option and change the value to USD.

Step 4. Load your transformed data.

The final step is adding this cleaned and transformed data into my existing spreadsheet. In Power Query Editor, navigate back to the “Home” tab and click “Close & load.”

Excel will now load this query into a new tab on your spreadsheet.

This simple step-by-step process shows you how to get started with accessing and using power query.

The use cases for power query, however, are almost endless due to the wide variety of data you can import and clean, and the types of transformations and data manipulations you can perform.

So, let’s take a look at some examples of what you can use power query to do.

Power Query Examples

Consolidating Data From Multiple Spreadsheets

Whether you’re working with multiple workbooks of your own creation or having files sent your way from other people, the need to consolidate data into one sheet is a fairly common problem.

Power query makes this a pretty straightforward task.

First, make sure all the workbooks you want to consolidate are saved in the same folder. Where possible, make sure they all match in terms of having the same column headings.

Open up Excel to a blank workbook and access power query with the “Get Data” option.

Select your data source as “Excel workbook” and choose your first file. If your sheets are all formatted the same, you won’t need to do anything else here. Simply hit “Load.”

Next, you’re going to import your other spreadsheets. But, instead of performing this first step the exact same way, you’re going to append the other sheets to this existing query that you’ve just created.

In the sheet, open power query again and select the second workbook from your list when importing a file. Instead of hitting “Load,” select the “Transform Data” option.

Now, you should see both queries available in the Power Query Editor on the left side panel.

On the right-hand side of the ribbon in Power Query Editor, you’ll see a “Combine” button with a dropdown containing options to merge or append queries.

From the dropdown, select “Append queries as new.” Select the tables as you’d like to append one to the end of the other, and hit “Ok.”

Power query will append the two tables together in one tab on your sheet. You can perform this action with two spreadsheets or multiple spreadsheets, depending on your needs.

Cleaning Up Data Before Importing

Sometimes, you can be dealing with a messy spreadsheet. Formatting and styling are all over the place, and you want to make sure it’s as clean and tidy as possible before importing.

Power query makes this an easy part of the process as you import data, so you don’t have to spend time manually cleaning things up afterward.

A simple example is a spreadsheet where some text is capitalized, and some is not. So, the goal is to convert everything into sentence case before adding it to your existing sheet.

Let’s say the sales team in France has sent us their sales report. It looks great, but some text in the Country ID column is in all caps, and some is not. Plus, random spaces have appeared in the country name that need to be fixed, too, or we’ll struggle to properly pull the data into pivot tables and other reporting.

In your sheet, open power query and import the file with the messy data. Click “Transform data” rather than importing it straight away.

First, find the column with the mixed-up capitalization and extra spaces. Right-click on the column and click “Transform column,” then “Text transforms” and, finally, “Trim.” This will remove any extra spacing that could interfere with manipulating the data.

Right-click on the column again, and this time, click “Capitalize Each Word” from the options. You may need to first select “lowercase” to fix any All-Caps words and then use the “Capitalize Each Word” option.

Now, you can click “Load” for your cleaned data to import into your Excel sheet.

Unpivoting/Pivoting Data to Improve Analysis Capabilities

Another common challenge with Excel is receiving data in a way that makes it difficult to manipulate and analyze, specifically when you want to switch around columns and rows — or “pivot” the data.

In this example, we have survey data where the columns are parsed out by respondents. Ideally, we’d like it parsed out with the columns as the survey questions.

First, open a blank Excel table and import your sheet using power query.

Like the previous example, instead of clicking “Load,” we first need to click “Transform data.”

Now that Power Query Editor is open, navigate to the Transform tab in the ribbon. Select all the survey question columns together, and click “Unpivot columns” and then select “Unpivot only selected columns.”

Power query takes the selected columns and parses out the data by the attributes and values of the questions. Navigate back to the “Home” tab and hit “Close & load” to use the unpivoted data in your spreadsheet.

Get Experimental With Power Query

In the grand scheme of tools, Excel is amongst the most powerful when it comes to sorting, cleaning, and transforming the type of data that gets used in day-to-day business operations across multiple departments and teams.

While it can take a little while to get familiar with all the features and functionalities of something like power query, it’s well worth the effort.

Even with relatively simple spreadsheets that just contain a lot of data, power query can cut your cleaning and transforming time down significantly, so you can get into important analysis and decision-making much quicker.

The post How to Use Power Queries in Excel appeared first on ProdSens.live.

Excel is a powerful spreadsheet program from Microsoft that makes it easy to work with numbers and other values.

While Excel contains a lot of power, it’s also quite useful for simple addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

In fact, Excel’s simple formulas make it easy to add and subtract numbers and cell values without breaking out a calculator.

How to Use Subtract Function in Excel

Many of Excel’s most powerful capabilities come via the use of functions, which are a kind of predesigned formula.

For example, the SUM function automatically sums or totals a range of cells without you having to manually add each cell to the previous one. 

Unfortunately, there is no SUBTRACT function in Excel. That’s because subtracting is one of the easiest things you can do in a spreadsheet. 

I‘ve found that performing subtraction in Excel is as simple as entering a simple mathematical formula. Excel does the rest. 

The formula for subtracting one number from another starts with an equal sign and looks like this:

=value1 – value2

It doesn’t get much easier than that. You can subtract discrete values or the values contained in individual cells. 

For example, let’s say I want to put an aquarium in my home so I can enjoy tropical fish.

I made a spreadsheet of the different tasks I need to complete and how much I expect each purchase to cost. I then gather the receipts to note what I actually spent. We’ll use subtract to see if my expected costs match reality. 

Step 1: Type an equal sign in a cell.

You subtract numbers and cell values in Excel using a simple formula. In Excel, every formula starts with an equal sign, so position your cursor in the cell where you want to show the solution and enter the following:

=

Step 2: Add the first cell address.

Position the cursor after the equal and either manually enter the first cell address or use your mouse to select the first cell. You should now see something like this:

=B2

Step 3: Enter a minus sign.

Position the cursor after the first cell address and enter a minus sign, like this:

=B2-

Step 4: Add the second cell address.

Position the cursor after the minus sign and either manually enter the second cell address or use your mouse to select the second cell. You now have the following formula:

=B2-C2

Step 5: Press enter to the solution.

Press enter to enter the formula, and the solution is displayed in the cell. After running the formula on every line in my sheet, I can see that I completed my aquarium with $236 to spare. 

Tips for Subtracting in Excel

You’re not limited to subtracting just one cell from another. In my experience, I’ve found that Excel can perform many different types of subtraction.

For example, you can subtract entire rows and columns, as well as cell ranges. Here are three tips on how to get the most out of subtracting in Excel.

How to Subtract Multiple Cells

You’re not limited to simple subtraction in Excel. You can subtract multiple cells from a single cell by stringing together additional cell addresses with minus signs.

For example, to subtract cells C13 through C 18 from B12, use the formula:

=B12-C13-C14-C15-C16-C17-C18

You could also write this as subtracting a range of cells from the first cell. In this instance, you’d use the range B2:B4 and enter this formula:

=B12-(C13:C18)

Just enclose the range you’re subtracting within parentheses. 

How to Subtract Entire Columns

You may want to subtract all the values in one column from all the values in another column. This is easily done by copying the formula from a single cell to all the cells in the solution column.

Simply enter your subtraction formula into the first cell in a new column. Then, copy that formula to the other cells in the column by dragging the corner of the first cell down the column.

All the cells in subsequent rows will subtract the same two relative cells as in the first formula.

For example, if you copy the formula =D1-C1 downward through a column, the cells in each subsequent row would contain the formulas:

=B2-C2

=B3-C3

=B4-C4

And so on. 

How to Subtract the Same Number From a Column of Numbers

Excel also lets you subtract the same number or cell value from all the cells in a column. You do this by locking the repeated number with dollar signs ($). 

Let’s say you want to subtract the value in a given cell from a range of cells. For our example, assume the cell you want to subtract is G1. 

You can’t just enter G1 and then copy the formula because Excel will change the referenced cell as you copy the formula.

Instead, you need to lock G1 into the formula by using dollar signs ($) in front of the row and column referenced by entering $G$1.

This tells Excel to always reference cell G1, whatever the other values in the formula. You end up with something like this:

=C2-$G$1

Pro tip: You can then copy that formula down an entire column, subtracting the fixed number from each cell in that column.

To learn even more about Excel, check out our article on How to Use Excel Like a Pro. This useful article contains 29 powerful tips, tricks, and shortcuts that will make Excel even more powerful. 

Getting Started

Excel includes powerful arithmetic capabilities, including the ability to subtract numbers and cell values. Excel makes simple subtraction as easy as writing numbers on a blackboard.

The post How to Use the SUBTRACT Function in Excel appeared first on ProdSens.live.

If you’re like millions of other users, you use Excel spreadsheets to plan your budgets, track sales or expenses, and organize all sorts of data. You may even use Excel to work with private or confidential information.

If you have data in a spreadsheet that you don’t want just anyone else to see, you can password protect that Excel file. I’ve found that requiring people to enter a password to access an Excel file keeps your private information private — while still allowing you, and anyone else with the password, proper access.

Let’s go through how you can password protect your Excel files.

How to Password Protect an Excel File

In my decade-long use of Excel, I’ve used spreadsheets to house all sorts of personal and business information.

If I don’t want to share that information with others, all I have to do is password protect the document — and then only share the password with those who need access.

For example, I’ve worked at many businesses that use Excel to store confidential employee information — social security numbers, salaries, and the like.

You don’t want random employees to access this private info, so the best approach is for the human resources (HR) department to password protect that particular file.

HR can then share that password with key management, who need to see the data but use password protection to keep the data away from other employees’ prying eyes.

Here’s how to do it:

Password Protect on Windows

Step 1: Open Document

From within Excel, open an existing spreadsheet or create a new one.

Step 2: Click File

From within the spreadsheet, click File on the menu bar.

Step 3: Click Info

On the next page, click Info in the left column.

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Step 4: Add Protection

Click the Protect Workbook button to display the drop-down menu.

Step 5: Encrypt Document

Select Encrypt with Password. This displays the Encrypt Document dialog box.

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Step 6: Create Password

Enter the desired password into the Password field, then click OK. The longer and more complex the password, the better. Try not to enter common words or phrases that others could easily guess.

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Step 7: Confirm Password

Excel now prompts you to confirm the password. Re-enter the password into the Reenter Password field and click OK again.

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Password Protect on Mac

Step 1: Open Document

From within Excel, open an existing spreadsheet or create a new one.

Step 2: Click File

From within the spreadsheet, click File on the top menu bar.

Step 3: Click Passwords

Next, click Passwords… in the dropdown menu.

Step 4: Create Password

Enter the desired password into the Password field, then click OK. You can create two different passwords, one for opening the file and another for modifying it. Recall that the passwords are case-sensitive.

The longer and more complex the password, the better. Try not to enter common words or phrases that others could easily guess.

Step 5: Confirm Password

Excel now prompts you to confirm the password. Re-enter the password into the Reenter Password field and click OK again. Heed their warning that if the password is lost or forgotten, it is not recoverable.

Step 6: Press Save

Press Save in order to save the password to your document. The next time you open the file, you will be prompted to provide the password before it opens.

Reopening a Protected File

Going forward, every time you try to open the file, Excel will prompt you for the password. When prompted, enter the password you created. If you enter the wrong password, you won’t be able to open the file.

You can share your password with others if need be. For example, if you create a password protected file that your entire team at work needs to access, share the password with other members of your team. Each member can access the spreadsheet by using that password.

I’ve found that the most common problem with password protecting Excel files is forgetting the password. You probably want to write down the password and keep it in a secure place. I like emailing passwords to myself, which I can then store in folders in my email program.

I’ve found that password protecting an Excel file is a good way to keep personal information personal. It’s easy to do and keeps others from seeing information you’d rather keep private.

If you do share your spreadsheets, Excel also lets you lock specific cells so others can’t change the data you enter. To learn how, read our companion article, Running Into Issues in Shared Excel Sheets? Learn How to Lock Cells. I know you’ll find it useful.

When to Use Password Protect

I’ve found Excel’s password protection to be quite useful when dealing with sensitive data. Here are four scenarios where you might want to use password protection.

Working With Confidential Information

Password protection is essential if you’re working with confidential information that cannot be shared with others. This most commonly occurs with work-related information that you don’t want competitors or the general public to see, such as plans for new products or services.

Protecting Your Personal Data

There are lots of bits and pieces of personal information that I need to store someplace and don’t want others to access. I’m talking about bank account and credit card numbers, email addresses, financial information, and the like. This type of personal information is easily stored in an Excel spreadsheet, which you can then keep secure via password protection.

Storing Other Passwords

If you’re like me, you have unique usernames and passwords for dozens, if not hundreds, of apps, services, and websites — and you can’t possibly remember them all. I store all my passwords in a single Excel spreadsheet and then protect that spreadsheet with a single password.

When I can’t remember how to log onto a given website, all I have to do is open that password protected Excel file, and the information I need is right there.

Creating Gift Lists

Here’s one I use all the time, especially around the holiday season. I keep a master spreadsheet of all the presents I’ve purchased for family members and then password protect it to hide it from snooping eyes. I don’t want my wife or children to see what I’ve bought for them and spoil the surprise!

Getting Started

Password-protecting your files can help you keep information private. That’s especially helpful if your team works with proprietary information and data. Now, you can keep your work confidential with just a few simple steps.

The post How to Password Protect an Excel File appeared first on ProdSens.live.

Excel can do more than just simple math. That’s thanks to its bevy of built-in functions and min-formulas that simplify the creation of more complex formulas.

In my decade-long experience with Excel, I’ve found that one of the more useful functions is the COUNTIF function.

You can use COUNTIF to count the number of cells that contain a specific value or range of values. It’s easier to use COUNTIF than to manually count yourself.

How to Use the COUNTIF Function in Excel

The COUNTIF function in Excel counts the number of cells in a range that meet the given criteria. It doesn’t total the cells; it simply counts them. I’ve found it useful for counting cells that contain a specific value or range of values.

For example, let’s say you have a spreadsheet that contains customer contact information, including street addresses and ZIP codes. You can easily use the COUNTIF function to count how many customers live in a given ZIP code — and you don’t even have to sort the addresses by ZIP code to do it.

Let’s work through the process step-by-step.

1. =COUNTIF()

Begin by entering the following into the cell where you want to place the answer:

=COUNTIF()

For this example, we’ll use a grocery list that I’ve written. The different items I want to buy are sorted by type, like vegetables and fruit.

2. Define a range of cells.

For the COUNTIF function to work, you have to enter two arguments between the parentheses — the range of cells you’re looking at and the criteria you want to match.

Place your cursor within the parentheses and either manually enter the range of cells (e.g., D1:D20) or use your mouse to highlight the range of cells in your spreadsheet.

Assuming your ZIP code values are in column D from row 1 to row 20, the function should now look like this:

=COUNTIF(A2:A35)

3. Add a comma.

Next, type a comma after the range, like this:

=COUNTIF(A2:A35,)

4. Define your search criteria.

You now need to enter the criteria or value that you want to count after the comma, surrounded by quotation marks.

In our example, let’s say you’re looking to see how many vegetables are on your list. In this instance, the criteria you’re counting is Vegetable, and your function should now look like this:

=COUNTIF(A2:A35, “Vegetable“)

Note that your criteria can be a number (“10”), text (“Los Angeles”), or another cell (C3). However, if you reference another cell, you don’t surround it with quotation marks. Criteria are not case-sensitive, so you could enter “Red,” “red,” or “RED” and get the same results.

5. Activate the function.

Press Enter, and the function activates, returning the number of cells that match your argument.

Tips for Using the COUNTIF Function

Many users, myself included, have discovered that you can use the COUNTIF function in many different ways besides counting specific values. Here are three tips I recommend for extending the use of the COUNTIF function.

Use wildcard characters for partial matches.

You don’t have to reference a specific value or criteria. If you only know part of the value you want to count, you can use the * wildcard character to match any value in that part of the value.

For example, let’s say you have a list of addresses. If you want to match all ZIP codes that start with the numbers 46 (such as 46032, 46033, and 46450), you would enter 46 followed by the * wildcard, like this:

=COUNTIF(D1:D20,“46*“)

You can use the wildcard character at either the beginning or the end of the value string. For example, to count all cells that end with the letters “polis,” enter the following:

=COUNTIF(D1:D20,“*polis“)

This will count cells that contain the cities of Indianapolis and Minneapolis.

Count values that are greater than or less than a number.

If you’re working with numbers, you may want to count cells with values greater than or less than a given value. You do this by using the mathematical greater than (>) and less than (<) signs.

To count all cells that have a value greater than a given number, such as 10, enter this:

=COUNTIF(D1:D20,“>10“)

To count cells that are greater than or equal to a number, enter this:

=COUNTIF(D!:D20“>=10“)

To count all cells that have a value less than a given number, enter this:

=COUNTIF(D1:D20“<10“)

To count cells that have a value less than or equal to a given number, enter this:

=COUNTIF(D1:D20“<=10“)

You can even count cells with a value not equal to a specific number. For example, to count cells that are not equal to the number 10, enter this:

=COUNTIF(D1:D20“<>10“)

In all these instances, remember that the criteria, including the less than, greater than, and equal signs, must be enclosed within quotation marks.

Count one value OR another.

The COUNTIF function can also be used to count multiple criteria—that is, cells that contain one value or another.

For example, you might want to count customers who live in either Los Angeles or San Diego. You do this by using two COUNTIF functions with a + between them, like this:

=COUNTIF(D1:D20,“Los Angeles“)+COUNTIF(D1:D20,“San Diego“)

To add even more values, enter another + and COUNTIF function.

If you want to get even more out of Excel, check out our article on how to use Excel like a pro. You’ll find 29 powerful tips, tricks, and shortcuts that will make Excel even easier to use.

Getting Started

If you’re looking to count the number of items that match specific criteria, the COUNTIF function is the way to go. You could just sort on that column and manually count the entries, but using COUNTIF is a whole lot easier.

Now, try it out and save yourself some time.

The post How to Use the COUNTIF Function in Excel appeared first on ProdSens.live.

Sometimes, Excel seems too good to be true. All I have to do is enter a formula, and pretty much anything I’d ever need to do manually can be done automatically.

Need to merge two sheets with similar data? Excel can do it.

Need to do simple math? Excel can do it.

Need to combine information in multiple cells? Excel can do it.

In this post, I’ll go over the best tips, tricks, and shortcuts you can use right now to take your Excel game to the next level. No advanced Excel knowledge required.

What is Excel?

Microsoft Excel is powerful data visualization and analysis software, which uses spreadsheets to store, organize, and track data sets with formulas and functions. Excel is used by marketers, accountants, data analysts, and other professionals. It’s part of the Microsoft Office suite of products. Alternatives include Google Sheets and Numbers.

Find more Excel alternatives here.

Excel is primarily used for creating financial documents because of its strong computational powers. You’ll often find the software in accounting offices and teams because it allows accountants to automatically see sums, averages, and totals. With Excel, they can easily make sense of their business’ data.

While Excel is primarily known as an accounting tool, professionals in any field can use its features and formulas — especially marketers — because it can be used for tracking any type of data. It removes the need to spend hours and hours counting cells or copying and pasting performance numbers. Excel typically has a shortcut or quick fix that speeds up the process.

You can also download Excel templates below for all of your marketing needs.

After you download the templates, it’s time to start using the software. Let’s cover the basics first.

Excel Basics

If you’re just starting out with Excel, there are a few basic commands that we suggest you become familiar with. These are things like:

• Creating a new spreadsheet from scratch.
• Executing basic computations like adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing.
• Writing and formatting column text and titles.
• Using Excel’s auto-fill features.
• Adding or deleting single columns, rows, and spreadsheets. (Below, we’ll get into how to add things like multiple columns and rows.)
• Keeping column and row titles visible as you scroll past them in a spreadsheet, so that you know what data you’re filling as you move further down the document.
• Sorting your data in alphabetical order.

Let’s explore a few of these more in-depth.

For instance, why does auto-fill matter?

If you have any basic Excel knowledge, it’s likely you already know this quick trick. But to cover our bases, allow me to show you the glory of autofill. This lets you quickly fill adjacent cells with several types of data, including values, series, and formulas.

There are multiple ways to deploy this feature, but the fill handle is among the easiest. Select the cells you want to be the source, locate the fill handle in the lower-right corner of the cell, and either drag the fill handle to cover cells you want to fill or just double click:

Similarly, sorting is an important feature you’ll want to know when organizing your data in Excel.

Sometimes you may have a list of data that has no organization whatsoever. Maybe you exported a list of your marketing contacts or blog posts. Whatever the case may be, Excel’s sort feature will help you alphabetize any list.

Click on the data in the column you want to sort. Then click on the “Data” tab in your toolbar and look for the “Sort” option on the left. If the “A” is on top of the “Z,” you can just click on that button once. If the “Z” is on top of the “A,” click on the button twice. When the “A” is on top of the “Z,” that means your list will be sorted in alphabetical order. However, when the “Z” is on top of the “A,” that means your list will be sorted in reverse alphabetical order.

Let’s explore more of the basics of Excel (along with advanced features) next.

How to Use Excel

To use Excel, you only need to input the data into the rows and columns. And then you’ll use formulas and functions to turn that data into insights.

We‘re going to go over the best formulas and functions you need to know. But first, let’s take a look at the types of documents you can create using the software. That way, you have an overarching understanding of how you can use Excel in your day-to-day.

Documents You Can Create in Excel

Not sure how you can actually use Excel in your team? Here is a list of documents you can create:

• Income Statements: You can use an Excel spreadsheet to track a company’s sales activity and financial health.
• Balance Sheets: Balance sheets are among the most common types of documents you can create with Excel. It allows you to get a holistic view of a company’s financial standing.
• Calendar: You can easily create a spreadsheet monthly calendar to track events or other date-sensitive information.

Here are some documents you can create specifically for marketers.

• Marketing Budgets: Excel is a strong budget-keeping tool. You can create and track marketing budgets, as well as spend, using Excel. If you don’t want to create a document from scratch, download our marketing budget templates for free.
• Marketing Reports: If you don’t use a marketing tool such as Marketing Hub, you might find yourself in need of a dashboard with all of your reports. Excel is an excellent tool to create marketing reports. Download free Excel marketing reporting templates here.
• Editorial Calendars: You can create editorial calendars in Excel. The tab format makes it extremely easy to track your content creation efforts for custom time ranges. Download a free editorial content calendar template here.
• Traffic and Leads Calculator: Because of its strong computational powers, Excel is an excellent tool to create all sorts of calculators — including one for tracking leads and traffic. Click here to download a free premade lead goal calculator.

This is only a small sampling of the types of marketing and business documents you can create in Excel. We’ve created an extensive list of Excel templates you can use right now for marketing, invoicing, project management, budgeting, and more.

In the spirit of working more efficiently and avoiding tedious, manual work, here are a few Excel formulas and functions you’ll need to know.

Excel Formulas

It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the wide range of Excel formulas that you can use to make sense out of your data. If you’re just getting started using Excel, you can rely on the following formulas to carry out some complex functions — without adding to the complexity of your learning path.

• Equal sign: Before creating any formula, you’ll need to write an equal sign (=) in the cell where you want the result to appear.
• Addition: To add the values of two or more cells, use the + sign. Example: =C5+D3.
• Subtraction: To subtract the values of two or more cells, use the – sign. Example: =C5-D3.
• Multiplication: To multiply the values of two or more cells, use the * sign. Example: =C5*D3.
• Division: To divide the values of two or more cells, use the / sign. Example: =C5/D3.

Putting all of these together, you can create a formula that adds, subtracts, multiplies, and divides all in one cell. Example: =(C5-D3)/((A5+B6)*3).

For more complex formulas, you’ll need to use parentheses around the expressions to avoid accidentally using the PEMDAS order of operations. Keep in mind that you can use plain numbers in your formulas.

Excel Functions

Excel functions automate some of the tasks you would use in a typical formula. For instance, instead of using the + sign to add up a range of cells, you’d use the SUM function. Let’s look at a few more functions that will help automate calculations and tasks.

• SUM: The SUM function automatically adds up a range of cells or numbers. To complete a sum, you would input the starting cell and the final cell with a colon in between. Here’s what that looks like: SUM(Cell1:Cell2). Example: =SUM(C5:C30).
• AVERAGE: The AVERAGE function averages out the values of a range of cells. The syntax is the same as the SUM function: AVERAGE(Cell1:Cell2). Example: =AVERAGE(C5:C30).
• IF: The IF function allows you to return values based on a logical test. The syntax is as follows: IF(logical_test, value_if_true, [value_if_false]). Example: =IF(A2>B2,“Over Budget”,“OK”).
• VLOOKUP: The VLOOKUP function helps you search for anything on your sheet’s rows. The syntax is: VLOOKUP(lookup value, table array, column number, Approximate match (TRUE) or Exact match (FALSE)). Example: =VLOOKUP([@Attorney],tbl_Attorneys,4,FALSE).
• INDEX: The INDEX function returns a value from within a range. The syntax is as follows: INDEX(array, row_num, [column_num]).
• MATCH: The MATCH function looks for a certain item in a range of cells and returns the position of that item. It can be used in tandem with the INDEX function. The syntax is: MATCH(lookup_value, lookup_array, [match_type]).
• COUNTIF: The COUNTIF function returns the number of cells that meet a certain criteria or have a certain value. The syntax is: COUNTIF(range, criteria). Example: =COUNTIF(A2:A5,“London”).

Okay, ready to get into the nitty-gritty? Let‘s get to it. (And to all the Harry Potter fans out there … you’re welcome in advance.)

Note: Some of the GIFs and visuals are from a previous version of Excel. When applicable, the copy has been updated to provide instruction for users of both newer and older Excel versions.

1. Use Pivot tables to recognize and make sense of data.

Pivot tables are used to reorganize data in a spreadsheet. They won‘t change the data that you have, but they can sum up values and compare different information in your spreadsheet, depending on what you’d like them to do.

Let‘s take a look at an example. Let’s say I want to take a look at how many people are in each house at Hogwarts. You may be thinking that I don’t have too much data, but for longer data sets, this will come in handy.

To create the Pivot Table, I go to Data > Pivot Table. If you’re using the most recent version of Excel, you’d go to Insert > Pivot Table. Excel will automatically populate your Pivot Table, but you can always change around the order of the data. Then, you have four options to choose from.

• Report Filter: This allows you to only look at certain rows in your dataset. For example, if I wanted to create a filter by house, I could choose to only include students in Gryffindor instead of all students.
• Column Labels: These would be your headers in the dataset.
• Row Labels: These could be your rows in the dataset. Both Row and Column labels can contain data from your columns (e.g. First Name can be dragged to either the Row or Column label — it just depends on how you want to see the data.)
• Value: This section allows you to look at your data differently. Instead of just pulling in any numeric value, you can sum, count, average, max, min, count numbers, or do a few other manipulations with your data. In fact, by default, when you drag a field to Value, it always does a count.

Since I want to count the number of students in each house, I’ll go to the Pivot table builder and drag the House column to both the Row Labels and the Values. This will sum up the number of students associated with each house.

2. Add more than one row or column.

As you play around with your data, you might find you‘re constantly needing to add more rows and columns. Sometimes, you may even need to add hundreds of rows. Doing this one-by-one would be super tedious. Luckily, there’s always an easier way.

To add multiple rows or columns in a spreadsheet, highlight the same number of preexisting rows or columns that you want to add. Then, right-click and select “Insert.”

In the example below, I want to add an additional three rows. By highlighting three rows and then clicking insert, I’m able to add an additional three blank rows into my spreadsheet quickly and easily.

3. Use filters to simplify your data.

When you‘re looking at very large data sets, you don’t usually need to be looking at every single row at the same time. Sometimes, you only want to look at data that fit into certain criteria.

That’s where filters come in.

Filters allow you to pare down your data to only look at certain rows at one time. In Excel, a filter can be added to each column in your data — and from there, you can then choose which cells you want to view at once.

Let‘s take a look at the example below. Add a filter by clicking the Data tab and selecting “Filter.” Clicking the arrow next to the column headers and you’ll be able to choose whether you want your data to be organized in ascending or descending order, as well as which specific rows you want to show.

In my Harry Potter example, let’s say I only want to see the students in Gryffindor. By selecting the Gryffindor filter, the other rows disappear.

Pro Tip: Copy and paste the values in the spreadsheet when a Filter is on to do additional analysis in another spreadsheet.

4. Remove duplicate data points or sets.

Larger data sets tend to have duplicate content. You may have a list of multiple contacts in a company and only want to see the number of companies you have. In situations like this, removing the duplicates comes in quite handy.

To remove your duplicates, highlight the row or column that you want to remove duplicates of. Then, go to the Data tab and select “Remove Duplicates” (which is under the Tools subheader in the older version of Excel). A pop-up will appear to confirm which data you want to work with. Select “Remove Duplicates,” and you’re good to go.

You can also use this feature to remove an entire row based on a duplicate column value. So if you have three rows with Harry Potter’s information and you only need to see one, then you can select the whole dataset and then remove duplicates based on email. Your resulting list will have only unique names without any duplicates.

5. Transpose rows into columns.

When you have rows of data in your spreadsheet, you might decide you actually want to transform the items in one of those rows into columns (or vice versa). It would take a lot of time to copy and paste each individual header — but what the transpose feature allows you to do is simply move your row data into columns, or the other way around.

Start by highlighting the column that you want to transpose into rows. Right-click it, and then select “Copy.” Next, select the cells on your spreadsheet where you want your first row or column to begin. Right-click on the cell, and then select “Paste Special.” A module will appear — at the bottom, you’ll see an option to transpose. Check that box and select OK. Your column will now be transferred to a row or vice-versa.

On newer versions of Excel, a drop-down will appear instead of a pop-up.

6. Split up text information between columns.

What if you want to split out information that‘s in one cell into two different cells? For example, maybe you want to pull out someone’s company name through their email address. Or perhaps you want to separate someone’s full name into a first and last name for your email marketing templates.

Thanks to Excel, both are possible. First, highlight the column that you want to split up. Next, go to the Data tab and select “Text to Columns.” A module will appear with additional information.

First, you need to select either “Delimited” or “Fixed Width.”

• “Delimited” means you want to break up the column based on characters such as commas, spaces, or tabs.
• “Fixed Width” means you want to select the exact location on all the columns that you want the split to occur.

In the example case below, let’s select “Delimited” so we can separate the full name into first name and last name.

Then, it‘s time to choose the Delimiters. This could be a tab, semi-colon, comma, space, or something else. (“Something else” could be the “@” sign used in an email address, for example.) In our example, let’s choose the space. Excel will then show you a preview of what your new columns will look like.

When you‘re happy with the preview, press “Next.” This page will allow you to select Advanced Formats if you choose to. When you’re done, click “Finish.”

7. Use formulas for simple calculations.

In addition to doing pretty complex calculations, Excel can help you do simple arithmetic like adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing any of your data.

• To add, use the + sign.
• To subtract, use the – sign.
• To multiply, use the * sign.
• To divide, use the / sign.

You can also use parentheses to ensure certain calculations are done first. In the example below (10+10*10), the second and third 10 were multiplied together before adding the additional 10. However, if we made it (10+10)*10, the first and second 10 would be added together first.

8. Get the average of numbers in your cells.

If you want the average of a set of numbers, you can use the formula =AVERAGE(Cell1:Cell2). If you want to sum up a column of numbers, you can use the formula =SUM(Cell1:Cell2).

9. Use conditional formatting to make cells automatically change color based on data.

Conditional formatting allows you to change a cell’s color based on the information within the cell. For example, if you want to flag certain numbers that are above average or in the top 10% of the data in your spreadsheet, you can do that. If you want to color code commonalities between different rows in Excel, you can do that. This will help you quickly see information that is important to you.

To get started, highlight the group of cells you want to use conditional formatting on. Then, choose “Conditional Formatting” from the Home menu and select your logic from the dropdown. (You can also create your own rule if you want something different.) A window will pop up that prompts you to provide more information about your formatting rule. Select “OK” when you’re done, and you should see your results automatically appear.

10. Use the IF Excel formula to automate certain Excel functions.

Sometimes, we don’t want to count the number of times a value appears. Instead, we want to input different information into a cell if there is a corresponding cell with that information.

For example, in the situation below, I want to award ten points to everyone who belongs in the Gryffindor house. Instead of manually typing in 10‘s next to each Gryffindor student’s name, I can use the IF Excel formula to say that if the student is in Gryffindor, then they should get ten points.

The formula is: IF(logical_test, value_if_true, [value_if_false])

Example Shown Below: =IF(D2=“Gryffindor”,“10”,“0”)

In general terms, the formula would be IF(Logical Test, value of true, value of false). Let’s dig into each of these variables.

• Logical_Test: The logical test is the “IF” part of the statement. In this case, the logic is D2=“Gryffindor” because we want to make sure that the cell corresponding with the student says “Gryffindor.” Make sure to put Gryffindor in quotation marks here.
• Value_if_True: This is what we want the cell to show if the value is true. In this case, we want the cell to show “10” to indicate that the student was awarded the 10 points. Only use quotation marks if you want the result to be text instead of a number.
• Value_if_False: This is what we want the cell to show if the value is false. In this case, for any student not in Gryffindor, we want the cell to show “0”. Only use quotation marks if you want the result to be text instead of a number.

Note: In the example above, I awarded 10 points to everyone in Gryffindor. If I later wanted to sum the total number of points, I wouldn‘t be able to because the 10’s are in quotes, thus making them text and not a number that Excel can sum.

The real power of the IF function comes when you string multiple IF statements together, or nest them. This allows you to set multiple conditions, get more specific results, and ultimately organize your data into more manageable chunks.

Ranges are one way to segment your data for better analysis. For example, you can categorize data into values that are less than 10, 11 to 50, or 51 to 100. Here’s how that looks in practice:

=IF(B3<11,“10 or less”,IF(B3<51,“11 to 50”,IF(B3<100,“51 to 100”)))

It can take some trial-and-error, but once you have the hang of it, IF formulas will become your new Excel best friend.

11. Use dollar signs to keep one cell’s formula the same regardless of where it moves.

Have you ever seen a dollar sign in an Excel formula? When used in a formula, it isn’t representing an American dollar; instead, it makes sure that the exact column and row are held the same even if you copy the same formula in adjacent rows.

You see, a cell reference — when you refer to cell A5 from cell C5, for example — is relative by default. In that case, you‘re actually referring to a cell that’s five columns to the left (C minus A) and in the same row (5). This is called a relative formula. When you copy a relative formula from one cell to another, it‘ll adjust the values in the formula based on where it’s moved. But sometimes, we want those values to stay the same no matter whether they’re moved around or not — and we can do that by turning the formula into an absolute formula.

To change the relative formula (=A5+C5) into an absolute formula, we’d precede the row and column values by dollar signs, like this: (=$A$5+$C$5). (Learn more on Microsoft Office’s support page here.)

12. Use the VLOOKUP function to pull data from one area of a sheet to another.

Have you ever had two sets of data on two different spreadsheets that you want to combine into a single spreadsheet?

For example, you might have a list of people‘s names next to their email addresses in one spreadsheet, and a list of those same people’s email addresses next to their company names in the other — but you want the names, email addresses, and company names of those people to appear in one place.

I have to combine data sets like this a lot — and when I do, the VLOOKUP is my go-to formula.

Before you use the formula, though, be absolutely sure that you have at least one column that appears identically in both places. Scour your data sets to make sure the column of data you’re using to combine your information is exactly the same, including no extra spaces.

The formula: =VLOOKUP(lookup value, table array, column number, Approximate match (TRUE) or Exact match (FALSE))

The formula with variables from our example below: =VLOOKUP(C2,Sheet2!A:B,2,FALSE)

In this formula, there are several variables. The following is true when you want to combine information in Sheet 1 and Sheet 2 onto Sheet 1.

• Lookup Value: This is the identical value you have in both spreadsheets. Choose the first value in your first spreadsheet. In the example that follows, this means the first email address on the list, or cell 2 (C2).
• Table Array: The table array is the range of columns on Sheet 2 you‘re going to pull your data from, including the column of data identical to your lookup value (in our example, email addresses) in Sheet 1 as well as the column of data you’re trying to copy to Sheet 1. In our example, this is “Sheet2!A:B.” “A” means Column A in Sheet 2, which is the column in Sheet 2 where the data identical to our lookup value (email) in Sheet 1 is listed. The “B” means Column B, which contains the information that’s only available in Sheet 2 that you want to translate to Sheet 1.
• Column Number: This tells Excel which column the new data you want to copy to Sheet 1 is located in. In our example, this would be the column that “House” is located in. “House” is the second column in our range of columns (table array), so our column number is 2. [Note: Your range can be more than two columns. For example, if there are three columns on Sheet 2 — Email, Age, and House — and you still want to bring House onto Sheet 1, you can still use a VLOOKUP. You just need to change the “2” to a “3” so it pulls back the value in the third column: =VLOOKUP(C2:Sheet2!A:C,3,false).]
• Approximate Match (TRUE) or Exact Match (FALSE): Use FALSE to ensure you pull in only exact value matches. If you use TRUE, the function will pull in approximate matches.

In the example below, Sheet 1 and Sheet 2 contain lists describing different information about the same people, and the common thread between the two is their email addresses. Let’s say we want to combine both datasets so that all the house information from Sheet 2 translates over to Sheet 1.

So when we type in the formula =VLOOKUP(C2,Sheet2!A:B,2,FALSE), we bring all the house data into Sheet 1.

Keep in mind that VLOOKUP will only pull back values from the second sheet that are to the right of the column containing your identical data. This can lead to some limitations, which is why some people prefer to use the INDEX and MATCH functions instead.

13. Use INDEX and MATCH formulas to pull data from horizontal columns.

Like VLOOKUP, the INDEX and MATCH functions pull in data from another dataset into one central location. Here are the main differences:

• VLOOKUP is a much simpler formula. If you’re working with large data sets that would require thousands of lookups, using the INDEX and MATCH function will significantly decrease load time in Excel.
• The INDEX and MATCH formulas work right-to-left, whereas VLOOKUP formulas only work as a left-to-right lookup. In other words, if you need to do a lookup that has a lookup column to the right of the results column, then you’d have to rearrange those columns in order to do a VLOOKUP. This can be tedious with large datasets and/or lead to errors.

So if I want to combine information in Sheet 1 and Sheet 2 onto Sheet 1, but the column values in Sheets 1 and 2 aren‘t the same, then to do a VLOOKUP, I would need to switch around my columns. In this case, I’d choose to do an INDEX and MATCH instead.

Let‘s look at an example. Let’s say Sheet 1 contains a list of people‘s names and their Hogwarts email addresses, and Sheet 2 contains a list of people’s email addresses and the Patronus that each student has. (For the non-Harry Potter fans out there, every witch or wizard has an animal guardian called a “Patronus” associated with him or her.) The information that lives in both sheets is the column containing email addresses, but this email address column is in different column numbers on each sheet. I‘d use the INDEX and MATCH formulas instead of VLOOKUP so I wouldn’t have to switch any columns around.

So what‘s the formula, then? The formula is actually the MATCH formula nested inside the INDEX formula. You’ll see I differentiated the MATCH formula using a different color here.

The formula: =INDEX(table array, MATCH formula)

This becomes: =INDEX(table array, MATCH (lookup_value, lookup_array))

The formula with variables from our example below: =INDEX(Sheet2!A:A,(MATCH(Sheet1!C:C,Sheet2!C:C,0)))

Here are the variables:

• Table Array: The range of columns on Sheet 2 containing the new data you want to bring over to Sheet 1. In our example, “A” means Column A, which contains the “Patronus” information for each person.
• Lookup Value: This is the column in Sheet 1 that contains identical values in both spreadsheets. In the example that follows, this means the “email” column on Sheet 1, which is Column C. So: Sheet1!C:C.
• Lookup Array: This is the column in Sheet 2 that contains identical values in both spreadsheets. In the example that follows, this refers to the “email” column on Sheet 2, which happens to also be Column C. So: Sheet2!C:C.

Once you have your variables straight, type in the INDEX and MATCH formulas in the top-most cell of the blank Patronus column on Sheet 1, where you want the combined information to live.

14. Use the COUNTIF function to make Excel count words or numbers in any range of cells.

Instead of manually counting how often a certain value or number appears, let Excel do the work for you. With the COUNTIF function, Excel can count the number of times a word or number appears in any range of cells.

For example, let’s say I want to count the number of times the word “Gryffindor” appears in my data set.

The formula: =COUNTIF(range, criteria)

The formula with variables from our example below: =COUNTIF(D:D,“Gryffindor”)

In this formula, there are several variables:

• Range: The range that we want the formula to cover. In this case, since we’re only focusing on one column, we use “D:D” to indicate that the first and last column are both D. If I were looking at columns C and D, I would use “C:D.”
• Criteria: Whatever number or piece of text you want Excel to count. Only use quotation marks if you want the result to be text instead of a number. In our example, the criteria is “Gryffindor.”

Simply typing in the COUNTIF formula in any cell and pressing “Enter” will show me how many times the word “Gryffindor” appears in the dataset.

15. Combine cells using &.

Databases tend to split out data to make it as exact as possible. For example, instead of having a column that shows a person‘s full name, a database might have the data as a first name and then a last name in separate columns. Or, it may have a person’s location separated by city, state, and zip code. In Excel, you can combine cells with different data into one cell by using the “&” sign in your function.

The formula with variables from our example below: =A2&“ ”&B2

Let‘s go through the formula together using an example. Pretend we want to combine first names and last names into full names in a single column. To do this, we’d first put our cursor in the blank cell where we want the full name to appear. Next, we’d highlight one cell that contains a first name, type in an “&” sign, and then highlight a cell with the corresponding last name.

But you‘re not finished — if all you type in is =A2&B2, then there will not be a space between the person’s first name and last name. To add that necessary space, use the function =A2&“ ”&B2. The quotation marks around the space tell Excel to put a space in between the first and last name.

To make this true for multiple rows, simply drag the corner of that first cell downward as shown in the example.

16. Add checkboxes.

If you‘re using an Excel sheet to track customer data and want to oversee something that isn’t quantifiable, you could insert checkboxes into a column.

For example, if you‘re using an Excel sheet to manage your sales prospects and want to track whether you called them in the last quarter, you could have a “Called this quarter?” column and check off the cells in it when you’ve called the respective client.

Here’s how to do it.

Highlight a cell you’d like to add checkboxes to in your spreadsheet. Then, click DEVELOPER. Then, under FORM CONTROLS, click the checkbox or the selection circle highlighted in the image below.

Once the box appears in the cell, copy it, highlight the cells you also want it to appear in, and then paste it.

17. Hyperlink a cell to a website.

If you‘re using your sheet to track social media or website metrics, it can be helpful to have a reference column with the links each row is tracking. If you add a URL directly into Excel, it should automatically be clickable. But, if you have to hyperlink words, such as a page title or the headline of a post you’re tracking, here’s how.

Highlight the words you want to hyperlink, then press Shift K. From there a box will pop up allowing you to place the hyperlink URL. Copy and paste the URL into this box and hit or click Enter.

If the key shortcut isn’t working for any reason, you can also do this manually by highlighting the cell and clicking Insert > Hyperlink.

18. Add drop-down menus.

Sometimes, you‘ll be using your spreadsheet to track processes or other qualitative things. Rather than writing words into your sheet repetitively, such as “Yes”, “No”, “Customer Stage”, “Sales Lead”, or “Prospect”, you can use dropdown menus to quickly mark descriptive things about your contacts or whatever you’re tracking.

Here’s how to add drop-downs to your cells.

Highlight the cells you want the drop-downs to be in, then click the Data menu in the top navigation and press Validation.

From there, you’ll see a Data Validation Settings box open. Look at the Allow options, then click Lists and select Drop-down List. Check the In-Cell dropdown button, then press OK.

19. Use the format painter.

As you’ve probably noticed, Excel has a lot of features to make crunching numbers and analyzing your data quick and easy. But if you ever spent some time formatting a sheet to your liking, you know it can get a bit tedious.

Don’t waste time repeating the same formatting commands over and over again. Use the format painter to easily copy the formatting from one area of the worksheet to another. To do so, choose the cell you’d like to replicate, then select the format painter option (paintbrush icon) from the top toolbar.

20. Create tables with data.

Converting your data into a table not only makes it visually appealing but also provides improved data management and analysis capabilities.

To get started, you’ll need to select the range of cells that you want to convert into a table. Then, go to the Home tab in the Excel ribbon. In the Styles group, click on the Format as Table button — it looks like a grid of cells. Then, choose a table style from the available options, or customize a table if desired.

In the Create Table dialog box, make sure the range you selected is correct. If Excel did not automatically detect the range correctly, you can adjust it manually. If your table has headers (column names), ensure that the “My table has headers” option is checked. This allows Excel to treat the first row as the header row.

Once everything is ready, click the OK button, and Excel will convert your selected data into a table.

After your data is converted into a table, you’ll notice some additional features and functionalities become available:

• The table is automatically assigned a name, such as “Table1” or “Table2,” which you can modify if needed.
• Filter drop-down arrows appear in the header row, allowing you to filter data within the table easily.
• The table is formatted with alternating row colors, making it visually appealing.
• Total rows are automatically added at the bottom of each column, allowing you to perform calculations like sum, average, etc., for the data in that column.

21. Use tables to conduct a what-if analysis.

In addition to making your data more organized, tables can also help you conduct what-if analyses. This allows you to test various combinations of input values and observe the resulting outcomes.

A what-if analysis can be beneficial when it comes to decision making, planning, forecasting, financial modeling, sensitivity analysis, resource planning, and more.

To get started, you’ll need to set up your worksheet with the necessary formulas and variables you want to analyze. Then, determine the input values that you want to vary. Typically, you will choose one or two input variables.

Select the cell where you want to display the results of your what-if analysis. Then, go to the Data tab in the Excel ribbon and click on the What-If Analysis button. From the dropdown menu, select Data Table.

In the Table Input dialog box, enter the input values that you want to test for each variable. If you have one variable, enter the different input values in a column or row. If you have two variables, enter the combinations in a table format.

Select the cells in the table area that correspond to the formula cell you want to analyze. This is the cell that will display the results for each combination of input values.

Click OK to generate the data table. Excel will calculate the formula for each combination of input values and display the results in the selected cells. The data table acts as a grid, showing the various scenarios and their corresponding outcomes.

Once your table is created, you can use it to identify trends, patterns, or specific values of interest. Play around with the input values and see how it may affect the final results.

22. Make formulas easier to comprehend with named ranges.

Instead of referring to a range of cells by its coordinates (e.g., A1:B10), you can assign a name to it. This makes formulas more readable and easier to manage.

To get started, select the cell or range of cells that you want to name. Go to the Formulas tab in the Excel ribbon and click on the Define Name button in the Defined Names group. Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut Alt + M + N + D.

In the New Name dialog box, enter a name for the selected cell or range in the Name field. Make sure the name is descriptive and easy to remember. By default, Excel assigns the selected cell or range’s reference to the Refers to field in the dialog box. If needed, you can modify the reference to include additional cells or adjust the range.

Click the OK button to save the named range. Once you’ve named a range, you can use it in your formulas by simply typing the name instead of the cell reference. For example, if you named cell A1 as “Revenue,” you could use =Revenue instead of =A1 in your formulas.

Using named ranges offers several benefits:

• Improved formula readability: Named ranges make formulas easier to understand and navigate, especially in complex calculations or large datasets.
• Flexibility for range adjustments: If your dataset changes, you can easily modify the range assigned to a named range without updating each formula that references it.
• Enhanced collaboration: Named ranges make it easier to collaborate with others, as they can understand the purpose of a named range and use it in their own calculations.
• Simplified data analysis: When using named ranges, you can create more intuitive data analysis by referring to named ranges in functions like SUM, AVERAGE, COUNTIF, etc.

To manage named ranges, you can go to the Formulas tab, click on the Name Manager button in the Defined Names group. The Name Manager offers functionalities to modify, delete, or review existing named ranges.

23. Group data to improve organization.

Grouping data in Excel provides a way to organize, analyze, and present information more effectively, making it easier to identify patterns, trends, and insights within your data. For instance, if you have a list of leads generated, you can group the data by month to create a monthly performance report.

Grouping data especially makes it easier to navigate and work with large data sets. It helps in organization and reduces clutter by collapsing the groups that are not immediately needed.

To group data in Excel, select the range of cells or columns that you want to group. Make sure the data is sorted properly, if needed.

On the Data tab in the Excel ribbon, click on the Group button. It is usually found in the Outline or Data Tools group.

You can specify the grouping levels by choosing options like Rows or Columns. For example, if you want to group data by month, you can select Months. You can also set additional options such as Summary rows below detail or Collapse the outline to the summary levels. These options affect how the grouped data is displayed.

Once you have the options you want selected, click on the OK button, and Excel will group the selected data based on your settings.

After your data is grouped, you will see a plus (+) or minus (-) button next to the grouped rows or columns. Clicking on the plus button expands the group to show the individual records, and clicking on the minus button collapses the group to hide the details.

24. Use Find & Select to streamline formatting.

Why format and clean up your spreadsheet manually when you can do it in just a few clicks? Using the Find & Select tool can help you maintain accuracy and consistency in your documents.

To get started, open the Excel worksheet that contains the data you want to search. Press the Ctrl + F keys on your keyboard or go to the Home tab and click on the Find & Select drop-down menu. Then, select Find from the menu. The Find and Replace dialog box will open.

In the Find field, enter the specific data you want to find. Optionally, you can narrow down your search to specific cells, rows, columns, or formulas by choosing the appropriate options in the dialog box.

Click on the Find next button to search for the first occurrence of the data. Excel will highlight the cell containing the data.

To replace the found data with new information, click on the Replace button in the dialog box. This will replace the highlighted occurrence with the data you enter in the Replace field.

To replace all occurrences of the data at once, click on the Replace All button. Once you have finished finding and replacing, you can close the dialog box.

Note: Be cautious when using the Replace All feature, as it replaces all occurrences without confirmation. It is always a good practice to review each replacement carefully before using the Replace All option.

25. Protect your work.

Protecting your work in Excel is essential for data security, maintaining data integrity, preserving intellectual property, and complying with legal or regulatory requirements. It allows you to have control over who can access and modify your work, minimizing risks and maintaining the quality and confidentiality of your data.

Here are a couple ways you can protect your work:

Protect a Worksheet

1. Open your Excel worksheet and navigate to the Review tab.
2. Click on the Manage Protection button in the Protection group.
3. A Manage Protection dialog box will appear. There, you can select whether or not you want to protect the sheet. Set a password if desired and choose the options you want to apply, such as preventing users from making changes to cells, formatting, inserting/deleting columns or rows, etc.

Protecting a Workbook

1. Open your Excel workbook and navigate to the File tab.
2. Click on Info and select Protect Workbook from the options.
3. Choose Encrypt with Password and enter a password if desired.
4. Click OK to protect the workbook.

Taking these extra steps ensures your work is protected. Just make sure to keep your passwords safe and secure.

26. Create custom number formats.

To display data in unique ways, use custom number formats. Doing this can help with data presentation, data clarity, consistency, localization, and masking sensitive data.

To get started, select the cell or range of cells that you want to format. Right-click on the selected cells and choose Number Format from the context menu. Then, find the Category list and select Custom.

In the Type field, you can enter a custom number format code to define your desired format. Here are some examples of custom number formats:

• To display numbers with a specific number of decimal places, use the 0 or # symbol to represent a digit, and a zero or hashtag without a decimal point to represent optional digits. For example, 0.00 will display two decimal places, 0.### will display up to three decimal places, and ### will display no decimal places.
• To display a specific text or character alongside numbers, use the @ symbol. For example, $0 will display a dollar sign before the number.
• To display percentages, use the % symbol. For example, 0% will display the number as a percentage.
• To create custom date or time formats, use codes such as dd for day, mm for month, yy for two-digit year, hh for hours, mm for minutes, and ss for seconds. For example, dd/mm/yyyy will display the date in the format of day/month/year.

As you enter your custom number format in the Type field, you will see a Sample section that shows a preview of how the format will be applied. Click OK to apply the custom number format to the selected cells.

27. Customize the Excel ribbon.

Although the Excel ribbon already contains various tools that are used to execute common functions and commands, you can customize it to fit your specific needs and preferences.

This can help streamline your workflow and make commonly used commands more easily accessible. It also allows you to remove unnecessary elements that you don’t use, making it easier to navigate and find the tools you need.

To make customizations, start by right clicking on an empty area of the ribbon and select Customize the Ribbon. In the Excel Options window that appears, you’ll see two sections. The left section displays the tabs currently visible in the ribbon, while the right section displays the tabs you can add.

To customize the ribbon, you have several options:

• To add a new tab, click on New Tab in the right section and give it a name.
• To add a group within an existing tab, select the tab in the left section, click New Group in the right section, and name it.
• To add commands to a group, select the group in the right section, choose commands from the left section, and click Add. You can also customize the order of the commands using the Up and Down buttons.

You can also remove tabs, groups, or commands from the ribbon. Select the item you want to remove in the left section and click Remove.

To change the order of tabs and groups, select the item in the left section and use the Up and Down buttons to rearrange them.

Click OK in the Excel Options window to save your changes and apply the customized ribbon.

To extend Excel’s functionality even further, you can customize the ribbon with additional applications by clicking on the Add-ins button in the Home tab.

Note: Customizing the ribbon is specific to your Excel installation and won‘t affect other users’ ribbons.

28. Improve visual presentation with text wrapping.

Even though spreadsheets aren’t always the most interesting things to look at, you can still take the time to make them easier to read by wrapping text.

Doing this lets you display multiple lines of text within a single cell. It’s particularly handy when you need to include line breaks or break up paragraphs of information within a cell without increasing the row height.

Select the cell(s) with the text you want to wrap. Navigate to the toolbar at the top of the Excel window and locate the Wrap Text button (an icon with an angled arrow). It is typically found in the Alignment section. Then, click on Wrap Text.

29. Add emojis.

Give your spreadsheets a little personal touch by adding in emojis.

To get started, click on the cell where you want to insert an emoji. Then, open the emoji keyboard. This step may vary based on your operating system.

• Windows: Use the keyboard shortcut Win + . or Win + ; to open the emoji keyboard.

• macOS: Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Cmd + Space to access the emoji keyboard.

Browse through the available emojis and click on the one you want to insert. The selected emoji should now appear in the selected cell.

Emojis may appear small by default in Excel cells. If you want to make them larger to improve visibility, you can adjust the cell size by dragging the row height and column width accordingly.

You can also copy emojis from external sources on the web or other applications and paste them directly into Excel cells.

Note: The ability to use emojis in Excel depends on the version of Excel and the device you are using. Some older versions or platforms may not support emojis or display them correctly. Therefore, it’s important to ensure compatibility with the Excel version and platform you are working with.

Excel Keyboard Shortcuts

Creating reports in Excel is time-consuming enough. How can we spend less time navigating, formatting, and selecting items in our spreadsheet? Glad you asked. There are a ton of Excel shortcuts out there, including some of our favorites listed below.

Create a New Workbook

PC: Ctrl-N | Mac: Command-N

Select Entire Row

PC: Shift-Space | Mac: Shift-Space

Select Entire Column

PC: Ctrl-Space | Mac: Control-Space

Select Rest of Column

PC: Ctrl-Shift-Down/Up | Mac: Command-Shift-Down/Up

Select Rest of Row

PC: Ctrl-Shift-Right/Left | Mac: Command-Shift-Right/Left

Add Hyperlink

PC: Ctrl-K | Mac: Command-K

Open Format Cells Window

PC: Ctrl-1 | Mac: Command-1

Autosum Selected Cells

PC: Alt-= | Mac: Command-Shift-T

Other Excel Help Resources

• How to Make a Chart or Graph in Excel [With Video Tutorial]
• Design Tips to Create Beautiful Excel Charts and Graphs
• Totally Free Microsoft Excel Templates That Make Marketing Easier
• How to Learn Excel Online: Free and Paid Resources for Excel Training

Use Excel to Automate Processes in Your Team

Even if you’re not an accountant, you can still use Excel to automate tasks and processes in your team. With the tips and tricks we shared in this post, you’ll be sure to use Excel to its fullest extent and get the most out of the software to grow your business.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in August 2017 but has been updated for comprehensiveness.

The post How to Use Excel Like a Pro: 29 Easy Excel Tips, Tricks, & Shortcuts appeared first on ProdSens.live.

Coordinating a massive amount of data in Microsoft Excel is a time-consuming headache. Thankfully, you don’t have to. The VLOOKUP function can help you automate this task and save you tons of time.

What does VLOOKUP do, exactly? Here’s the simple explanation: The VLOOKUP function searches for a specific value in your data, and once it identifies that value, it can find — and display — some other piece of information that’s associated with that value.

Microsoft Excel’s VLOOKUP function is easier to use than you think. What’s more, it is incredibly powerful, and is definitely something you want to have in your arsenal of analytical weapons.

Skip to:

• How VLOOKUP Works
• VLOOKUP Example
• How to Use VLOOKUP
• Troubleshooting Tips

How does VLOOKUP work?

VLOOKUP stands for “vertical lookup.” In Excel, this means the act of looking up data vertically across a spreadsheet, using the spreadsheet’s columns — and a unique identifier within those columns — as the basis of your search. When you look up your data, it must be listed vertically wherever that data is located.

VLOOKUP Excel Formula 

Microsoft describes the VLOOKUP formula or function as follows:

=VLOOKUP(lookup value, range containing the lookup value, the column number in the range containing the return value, Approximate match (TRUE) or Exact match (FALSE)).

It helps to organize your data in a way so that the value you want to look up is to the left of the return value you want to find.

The formula always searches to the right.

When conducting a VLOOKUP in Excel, you’re essentially looking for new data in a different spreadsheet that is associated with old data in your current one. When VLOOKUP runs this search, it always looks for the new data to the right of your current data.

For instance, if one spreadsheet has a vertical list of names, and another spreadsheet has an unorganized list of those names and their email addresses, you can use VLOOKUP to retrieve those email addresses in the order you have them in your first spreadsheet. Those email addresses must be listed in the column to the right of the names in the second spreadsheet, or Excel won’t be able to find them. (Go figure … )

The formula needs a unique identifier to retrieve data.

The secret to how VLOOKUP works? Unique identifiers.

A unique identifier is a piece of information that both of your data sources share, and — as its name implies — it is unique (i.e. the identifier is only associated with one record in your database). Unique identifiers include product codes, stock-keeping units (SKUs), and customer contacts.

Alright, enough explanation: let’s see another example of the VLOOKUP in action!

VLOOKUP Excel Example

In the video below, we’ll show an example in action, using the VLOOKUP function to match email addresses (from a second data source) to their corresponding data in a separate sheet. 

Author’s note: There are many different versions of Excel, so what you see in the video above might not always match up exactly with what you’ll see in your version. That’s why we encourage you to follow along with the written instructions below.

For your reference, here’s what the syntax for a VLOOKUP function looks like:

VLOOKUP(lookup_value , table_array , col_index_num , range_lookup)

In the steps below, we’ll assign the right value to each of these components, using customer names as our unique identifier to find the MRR of each customer.

1. Identify a column of cells you’d like to fill with new data.

Remember, you’re looking to retrieve data from another sheet and deposit it into this one. With that in mind, label a column next to the cells you want more information on with a proper title in the top cell, such as “MRR,” for monthly recurring revenue. This new column is where the data you’re fetching will go.

2. Select ‘Function’ (Fx) > VLOOKUP and insert this formula into your highlighted cell.

To the left of the text bar above your spreadsheet, you’ll see a small function icon that looks like a script: Fx. Click on the first empty cell beneath your column title and then click this function icon. A box titled Formula Builder or Insert Function will appear to the right of your screen (depending on which version of Excel you have).

Search for and select “VLOOKUP” from the list of options included in the Formula Builder. Then, select OK or Insert Function to start building your VLOOKUP. The cell you currently have highlighted in your spreadsheet should now look like this: “=VLOOKUP()“

You can also enter this formula into a call manually by entering the bold text above exactly into your desired cell.

With the =VLOOKUP text entered into your first cell, it’s time to fill the formula with four different criteria. These criteria will help Excel narrow down exactly where the data you want is located and what to look for.

3. Enter the lookup value for which you want to retrieve new data.

The first criteria is your lookup value — this is the value of your spreadsheet that has data associated with it, which you want Excel to find and return for you. To enter it, click on the cell that carries a value you’re trying to find a match for. In our example, shown above, it’s in cell A2. You’ll start migrating your new data into D2, since this cell represents the MRR of the customer name listed in A2.

Keep in mind your lookup value can be anything: text, numbers, website links, you name it. As long as the value you’re looking up matches the value in the referring spreadsheet — which we’ll talk about that in the next step — this function will return the data you want.

4. Enter the table array of the spreadsheet where your desired data is located.

Next to the “table array” field, enter the range of cells you’d like to search and the sheet where these cells are located, using the format shown in the screenshot above. The entry above means the data we’re looking for is in a spreadsheet titled “Pages” and can be found anywhere between column B and column K.

The sheet where your data is located must be within your current Excel file. This means your data can either be in a different table of cells somewhere in your current spreadsheet, or in a different spreadsheet linked at the bottom of your workbook, as shown below.

For example, if your data is located in “Sheet2” between cells C7 and L18, your table array entry will be “Sheet2!C7:L18.”

5. Enter the column number of the data you want Excel to return.

Beneath the table array field, you’ll enter the “column index number” of the table array you’re searching through. For example, if you’re focusing on columns B through K (notated “B:K” when entered in the “table array” field), but the specific values you want are in column K, you’ll enter “10” in the “column index number” field, since column K is the 10th column from the left.

6. Enter your range lookup to find an exact or approximate match of your lookup value.

In situations like ours, which concerns monthly revenue, you want to find exact matches from the table you’re searching through. To do this, enter “FALSE” in the “range lookup” field. This tells Excel you want to find only the exact revenue associated with each sales contact.

To answer your burning question: Yes, you can allow Excel to look for an approximate match instead of an exact match. To do so, simply enter TRUE instead of FALSE in the fourth field shown above.

When VLOOKUP is set for an approximate match, it’s looking for data that most closely resembles your lookup value, rather than data that is identical to that value. If you’re looking up data associated with a list of website links, for example, and some of your links have “https://” at the beginning, it might behoove you to find an approximate match just in case there are links that do not have this “https://” tag. This way, the rest of the link can match without this initial text tag causing your VLOOKUP formula to return an error if Excel can’t find it.

7. Click ‘Done’ (or ‘Enter’) and fill your new column.

In order to officially bring in the values you want into your new column from Step 1, click “Done” (or “Enter,” depending on your version of Excel) after filling the “range lookup” field. This will populate your first cell. You might take this opportunity to look in the other spreadsheet to make sure this was the correct value.

If so, populate the rest of the new column with each subsequent value by clicking the first filled cell, then clicking the tiny square that appears on the bottom-right corner of this cell. Done! All your values should appear.

VLOOKUP Not Working?

VLOOKUP Tutorial

Got stuck after trying to conduct your own VLOOKUP with the steps above? Check out this handy tutorial from Microsoft has a handy tutorial that will walk you through properly using the function. 

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If you’ve followed the above steps and your VLOOKUP is still not working, it will either be an issue with your:

• Syntax (i.e. how you’ve structured the formula)
• Values (i.e. whether the data it’s looking up is good and formatted correctly)

Troubleshooting VLOOKUP Syntax

Start with looking at the VLOOKUP formula that you have written in the designated cell.

• Is it referring to the right lookup value for its key identifier?
• Does it specify the correct table array range for the values it needs to retrieve
• Does it specify the correct sheet for the range?
• Is that sheet spelled correctly?
• Is it using the correct syntax to refer to the sheet? (e.g. Pages!B:K or ‘Sheet 1’!B:K)
• Has the correct column number been specified? (e.g. A is 1, B is 2, and so on)
• Is True or False the correct route for how your sheet is set up?

Troubleshooting VLOOKUP Values

If the syntax is not the problem, how you may have an issue with the values you’re trying to receive themselves. This often manifests as an #N/A error where the VLOOKUP cannot find a referenced value.

• Are the values formatted vertically and from right to left?
• Do the values match how you refer to them?

For example, if you’re looking up URL data, each URL must be a row with its corresponding data to the left of it in the same row. If you have the URLs as column headers with the data moving vertically, the VLOOKUP will not work.

Keeping with this example, the URLs must match in format in both sheets. If you have one sheet including the “https://” in the value while the other sheet omits the “https://”, the VLOOKUP will not be able to match the values.

VLOOKUPs as a Powerful Marketing Tool

Marketers have to analyze data from a variety of sources to get a complete picture of lead generation (and more). Microsoft Excel is the perfect tool to do this accurately and at scale, especially with the VLOOKUP function.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in March 2019 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

The post How to Use VLOOKUP Function in Microsoft Excel [+ Video Tutorial] appeared first on ProdSens.live.

Knowing the ins and outs of Excel is essential for organizing data, understanding analytics, and getting the most from your marketing efforts. The tool is great for quickly processing vast amounts of data, but it can be overwhelming if you don’t spend the majority of your workday whipping up spreadsheets.

Fortunately, a few basic skills are all you need to put together an easy-to-read spreadsheet. One is knowing how to merge cells in Excel. Whether you’re planning blog articles for the upcoming quarter, creating an email list for a targeted campaign, or designing SEO-friendly Google ads, merging cells is a handy way to organize your information.

To sharpen your skills, we’ll cover several ways to combine cells.

• How to merge two cells
• How to merge and center cells
• How to merge multiple cells
• How to merge cells without losing data
• A shortcut to merge cells
• Why can’t I merge cells?

Don’t want to start from scratch? Use these free Excel templates as a foundation for your own marketing spreadsheets.

How to Merge Two Cells in Excel

Merging is a way to turn two small cells into one new, large cell. This is useful for organizing information and creating headers, without the need to resize individual cells. Here’s how to do it.

Step 1: Highlight the two adjacent cells you want to merge (I’m merging A1 and B1 in the example).

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Step 2: Under the Home tab, click the ‘Merge’ icon and choose ‘Merge Cells’.

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Step 3: That’s it! You’ve merged the cells.

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Note: When combining cells, only the data in the upper left cell is saved. Make sure to save the information from the other cell so it’s not lost. If you happen to have data in both A1 and B1, Excel won’t simply wipe it. This alert will pop up:

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Don’t want to delete the data? Click ‘Cancel,’ and copy/paste the information into a separate document or cell before merging. If you only need the information in the upper-left cell, click ‘OK’ to merge the cells.

How to Merge and Center Cells in Excel

Say you’re building a marketing report and want your titles to be centered above your data. Merge and center cells by following these steps.

Step 1: Highlight the cells you want to merge.

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Step 2: Under the Home tab, click the ‘Merge’ icon and choose ‘Merge & Center.’

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Step 3: Your cells will merge and the data will be centered within the cell.

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How to Merge Cells in Excel Shortcut

Clicking the correct ‘Merge’ function over and over can be a drag if you need to combine a lot of cells. For fast merging, start by highlighting the cells you want to merge. Then, type the following key combinations.

Excel Shortcuts for Windows

1. Merge Cells: ALT H+M+M
2. Merge & Center: ALT H+M+C
3. Merge Across: ALT H+M+A
4. Unmerge Cells: ALT H+M+U

Excel Shortcuts for OS

The Apple operating system doesn’t have an ALT key, so you have to set up your own shortcut to merge cells.

1. In Excel, click ‘Tools’ under the navigation bar.
2. Select ‘Customize Keyboard.’
3. A pop-up will appear. Under the header ‘Specify a Command’ there are two columns: Categories and Commands. For Categories, select ‘Home Tab.’ For Commands, select ‘Merge Cells.’
4. Select the text box under ‘Press new keyboard shortcut.’ Type the key combination for your shortcut. For example: CONTROL+M.
5. Click ‘OK’ to set your shortcut.
6. You can now use CONTROL+M to merge cells in Excel.
7. Set up additional shortcuts for Merge Across, Merge & Center, or Unmerge.

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How to Merge Multiple Cells in Excel

You know the basics, but now you want to get creative and merge more than two cells. Depending on your desired spreadsheet layout, you can use the Merge Across, Merge Cells, or Merge & Center function.

1. Merge Across

This option is used to merge cells within a single row. You can’t use ‘Merge Across’ to combine cells within a column or across multiple rows.

In this example, I’m setting up PPC ads and want to see my description copy in row 17. If I simply resize column F, my table will have too much space between column F and G. Merging multiple cells across row 17 lets me see the copy and keep the table neat.

Step 1: Highlight all the cells you want to merge within the row.

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Step 2: Under the Home tab, click the ‘Merge’ icon and choose ‘Merge Across.’

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Step 3: The cells merge across the entire highlighted area.

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2. Merge & Center

You can merge and center multiple cells across rows and down columns. Just remember the data in the upper-left cell is the only information that will stay once merged. In the example below, I use ‘Merge & Center’ to combine rows 15, 16, and 17 with columns F, G, and H.

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3. Merge Cells

The ‘Merge Cells’ function is ideal to combine multiple adjacent cells across rows and columns. It works just like the ‘Merge & Center’ function, except the data will be left-aligned instead of centered after merging.

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How to Merge Cells in Excel Without Losing Data

Want to merge cells without losing information from all but the upper left cell? Easy. You can use the ampersand (&) or the CONCATENATE function to combine data from two or more cells.

In the example below, I’m creating copy for Instagram and want to combine the caption with its corresponding link.

Ampersand

Step 1: Choose the cell where you want to put the merged data. Make sure this is separate from the cells you’re merging.

Step 2: Type = in the blank cell and select the first cell to combine.

Step 3: Type & and use ” ” to leave a space between cell data.

Step 4: Type & again before choosing the next cell. Repeat for all the cells you want to combine. An example formula is =D5&” “&E5.

Step 5: Hit Enter. In the example, you can see how the text from cells D5 and E5 merged into F5.

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CONCATENATE or CONCAT

The CONCATENATE function (or CONCAT) is another way to combine two or more text strings together.

The formula in Excel is =CONCATENATE (text1,text2,…). Text1 is the first cell to merge and can be a text value, number, or cell reference. Text2 is the next item to join. For this function, you can merge up to 255 items or 8,192 characters.

Step 1: Highlight a new blank cell where you want to merge the data.

Step 2: In the formula bar, type =CONCATENATE(

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Step 3: A formula builder will pop up, allowing you to choose Text1, Text2, and so on. Select the cells you want to merge, in order from first to last. To include spaces between the cell data, you must include ,” “, within the formula. [i.e. =CONCATENATE(D5,” “,E5)]

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Step 4: Hit Enter. The data from your selected cells will be combined in the CONCATENATE cell.

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Why Can’t I Merge Cells in Excel?

A lot can go wrong if your formula or formatting isn’t set up correctly. If you’re struggling to merge cells, try these troubleshooting tips.

1. Ensure you’re not actively editing a cell you want to merge. The ‘Merge’ icon will be shaded out if you’re in the middle of making changes. To fix this, simply hit ‘Enter’ to stop editing or click onto another cell before clicking back to the cell you’d like to merge.

1. Check if one of the cells is part of an Excel table. Tables have a unique format that don’t allow merging. You can tell you’re on a Table if the ‘Chart Design’ or ‘Format’ tabs across the top of your workbook are highlighted in green and the ‘Merge’ icon is shaded out.

1. Look at the sharing permissions of the Excel workbook. If it’s not shared with you or is protected, you won’t be able to make any changes or merge cells.

How to Unmerge Cells

Maybe you got a little excited trying out your new skills and merged one cell too many. Don’t panic. Simply unmerge your cells by following these steps.

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1. Highlight the cells you want to unmerge.
2. Under the Home tab, click the ‘Merge’ icon and choose ‘Unmerge Cells.’
3. Your cells will go back to the original formatting, but you will have lost the information from before the merge.
4. If you need that information, click ‘Command’ + Z (OS) or ‘CTRL’ +Z (Windows) to undo your actions until you see the data pop up.

Excel Shortcuts Make Life Easier

While using spreadsheets can feel intimidating at first, with the tips and shortcuts above, you’ll have it down in no time. 

Editor’s note: This article was originally published in May 2021 and has been updated for comprehensiveness. 

The post Merge Cells in Excel in 5 Minutes or Less appeared first on ProdSens.live.

Heat maps in Excel help businesses to visualize large data sets, transforming a pool of numbers into easily interpretable graphs. For example, a retailer can use a heat map to analyze sales data and find products that sell more during specific seasons.

In short, heat maps help you find and color-code correlations that may have been difficult to discern from raw data.

This guide will show you how to create heat maps in Excel of different types:

• A simple heat map with conditional formatting.
• A heat map with a custom color scale.
• A geographic heat map.

Let’s get started.

What is a heat map in Excel?

A heat map in Excel is a color-coded snapshot of your data, which helps you analyze thousands of data points and spot negative and positive trends and correlations at a glance.

Lighter colors represent lower values. Darker shades stand for higher ones. Though, you can invert them.

For example, you can depict higher conversion rates in green and lower in red.

What falls in between will be colored in orange and a gradient with different shades of the three colors based on the value. Or you can fill cells in gradient shades, as shown in the example below.

The Benefits of Using Heat Maps.

Let’s go over four core benefits of Excel heat maps tailored to business needs.

1. Quick Data Interpretation

One of the primary benefits of using heat maps is the speed of data interpretation.

Consider a financial analyst assessing a company’s monthly expenses across different departments. Instead of working their way through a sea of numbers, analysts could use a heat map to quickly identify the departments with the highest and the lowest spending alike.

This allows for rapid insights and informed financial planning.

2. Discerning Trends and Patterns

Heat maps unveil hidden trends and patterns in your data that might be missed in raw, numerical form. For instance, a pet store could apply a heat map to analyze sales data over time (or for specific goods).

This way, you can spot a trend of higher sales during certain months or days, indicating peak shopping periods and helping in inventory and marketing planning.

3. Enhancing Presentations and Reports

Turn dull spreadsheets into engaging and representative visuals, making your reports easily read.

Suppose a marketing manager is presenting campaign performance to stakeholders. A heat map can quickly communicate which campaigns were successful and which fell short and why, ensuring clear and effective communication.

4. Simplifying Decision-Making

Are you a logistics manager at a manufacturing firm who must understand delivery times across different regions? Use Excel heatmaps.

Color regions with longer delivery times in darker shades to point out logistical inefficiencies.

So, how do all of these work in real life? Keep reading for tutorials.

How to Create Heat Maps in Excel

Find step-by-step guides on creating heat maps with different formatting and for a map chart.

How to Create a Heat Map with Conditional Formatting

For example, you want to analyze a company’s monthly expenses across various departments.

1. Open Excel and input your data. Click and drag to select the numeric data you want to include in your heat map. In our example, these are the numbers from January to June for each department.

2. Open the Conditional Formatting menu. Navigate to the “Home” tab and click “Conditional Formatting” in the “Styles” group.

3. Apply Color Scale. From the dropdown, select “Color Scales.”

A set of preset color gradients will appear. Choose one that suits your needs. For this example, you might select “Green – Yellow – Red Color Scale.”

This scale will apply a gradient of colors where green indicates lower expenses, red indicates higher expenses, and yellow falls in the middle.

How to Create a Heat Map with a Custom Color Scale

Sometimes, Excel’s default color scales may not adequately represent your data, or you might want to align the color scheme with your brand colors. Or maybe you want to highlight the cells with lower/higher values than a given number.

In such cases, create a custom color scale. Here’s how to do it.

Suppose you want to find out which brands of dry dog food brought over $11,000 in revenue in the last six months.

1. Go to “Conditional Formatting” in the “Styles” group again. But from the dropdown, select “New Rule” or “More Rules…” It depends on your Excel version.

2. Select Rule Type. In the “New Formatting Rule” dialog box that appears, choose “2-Color Scale” or “3-Color Scale” based on your preference.

3. Set Colors and Values. Here, you can customize the colors for the maximum, midpoint, and minimum values.

Let’s say we choose dark blue for the highest values (>= $11,000), red for the lowest values, and white for the midpoint. You can also set the value for each point.

Click “OK” to apply the rule.

Watch the video on how to create advanced heatmaps in Excel.

How to Create a Geographic Heat Map in Excel

Creating a geographic heat map in Excel allows you to compare values and show categories across various geographical regions.

It‘s a valuable tool when you’re dealing with geographical entities like countries, states, counties, or postal codes.

To create similar maps, simply select your data, including the headers, and in the Ribbon bar, select a Map chart or Recommended charts, so Excel can offer the most convenient map chart for your data.

If you want to color-code your map with conditional formatting, double-click on the map to trigger the formatting menu for maps. Then, select the color scheme.

As you’re switching between options and colors, the changes are automatically applied. Thus, you can play with different options to choose the best one for your map visualization without going back and forth.

Discover all the intricacies of geographic map charts in Excel.

Use Heatmaps to Communicate Data and Get Buy-In

Visualizing data with heatmaps in Excel helps you effectively deliver key insights to your team, management, or stakeholders.

Whether you’re analyzing marketing campaign performance, tracking monthly expenses, or spotting trends in sales data, heatmaps offer an easily digestible, color-coded overview that aids strategic decision-making.

Go and try it out!

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