Tips & Shortcuts to Improve Excel Skills Formulas Spreadsheets Best E-learning Software Instruction

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Excel can be a confusing program especially if you are new to using the program. Think of using Microsoft Excel like mowing the lawn. There are many ways to get the job done but some common practices that make things easier. For example, you don´t mow a lawn by just going every direction; you would usually mow in straight lines and in a pattern. The same concept goes for Excel and here are some handy tips that will help make using Excel easier:

1) Target.

Know who is using your spreadsheet and tailor it to the audience. If you were presenting a budget to your company CEO, you wouldn´t necessarily put small items such as paperclips in the spreadsheet.

2) Standardize.

Depending on what you are, doing you will have different standards. For example if you are creating a budget then you may want to put expenses in red with a negative sign and put income in green. You also might consider putting items in the same location in every budget. For instance, the income for January will always be in Cell B6.

3) Format.

The better you or anyone else can "see" the spreadsheet the more effective it will be. Some common formatting practices are making titles in bold, putting borders around cells, and changing font and background colors.

4) Simplify.

There is the possibility of using too much formatting or having too much material in a sheet. This is based on you and your target audience. You don´t want too much or too little information; you want the Goldilocks zone "just right." For example if you have a budget, you may not want to put the multiple years of information on the same sheet.

5) Template.

If you have a spreadsheet that you will use over and over but change numbers consider making it a template. If you use budgets for several departments you might make a template for the budget spreadsheet.

6) One-on-one Training.

The best way to improve Excel skills for yourself or company-wide is to enroll in a program that can deliver targeted on-on-one training when you need it.

These tips will make a big difference on how easily you and your coworkers communicate with Microsoft Excel.

For more information on how to use Excel, please send an e-mail to ContactUs@MyComputerBuddies.com or visit our website www.MyComputerBuddies.com

Ankit Patel

Owner/CEO

My Computer Buddies

ContactUs@MyComputerBuddies.com

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