Organizational & Staff Development, U of T
Excel XP Shortcuts, Tips & Tricks
Files
1. To open multiple files:
a) select File | Open
OR
click the Open button on the toolbar
b) single click the first file and Ctrl/click on each other file
OR
single click the first file and Shift/click the last file
c) click Open
2. To close multiple files:
a) hold down the Shift key
b) click File
c) click Close All
3. All open files appear on the taskbar. Click on any file’s taskbar button to select it.
Ctrl/F6 (cycles through open files)
4. The last four saved files appear at the bottom of the File menu. Click on any one to open it.
Set the number of files displayed at the bottom of the File menu in:
Tools | Options | General - Recently Used File List
5. If you open a previously saved file and make changes to it, you can abort the changes by closing the
file and selecting “No” when prompted to save the changes.
6. When saving a newly created file, the commands File | Save, File | Save As, and have the
same meaning.
Ctrl/S (save file)
7. Use File | Save As to change the name of the open file.
= keyboard shortcut Excel XP Shortcuts, Tips & Tricks, ver 1.0
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8. You can perform several file management tasks in the File | Save As dialog box:
Create New Folder
My Places
a) create new folders – navigate to the folder above and click Create New Folder. Enter the
folder’s name and click OK
b) delete files – select the files and press Delete on the keyboard OR click Delete
c) rename files – select the file and click on its name. Enter the new filename (being careful not to
change the extension) and press Enter
d) add to My Places – navigate to the desired drive and folder, click Tools | Add to My Places.
You can remove an entry from My Places by right clicking the entry and choosing Remove.
Viewing Large Files
9. To set titles:
a) position the pointer below the desired title columns and to the right of the desired title rows
b) select Window | Freeze Panes
Note: This is an editing technique only.
10. To view two separated portions of a spreadsheet:
a) drag either the horizontal or vertical splitting tool to the middle of the window
b) remove a split by dragging the splitting tool back to the edge of the window
Window Splitting Tools
= keyboard shortcut Excel XP Shortcuts, Tips & Tricks, ver 1.1
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11. To print two non-contiguous portions of a spreadsheet:
a) select the columns you do NOT want to print
b) select Format | Columns | Hide
OR
right click and choose Hide
c) select the rows you do NOT want to print
d) select Format | Rows | Hide
OR
right click and choose Hide
Navigation Techniques
12. To go to a cell location, click in the Name box, type the desired cell address and press Enter.
F5 (Go to)
Name Box
13. Keyboard navigation techniques:
Ctrl/Home Cell A1
Ctrl/End last used cell
Home beginning of the row
End/ÍÎÏÐ next blank or used cell in the direction of the arrow
Page Down next screen down
Page Up previous screen up
Alt/Page Down next screen right
Alt/Page Up previous screen left
Ctrl/Page Down next sheet
Ctrl/Page Up previous sheet
Enter down one cell
Tab right one cell
Note: the function of the Enter key can be changed in:
Tools | Options | Edit – “Move cell after pressing Enter”
= keyboard shortcut Excel XP Shortcuts, Tips & Tricks, ver 1.1
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Selection Techniques
14. Click on the first cell, Shift/click on the last selects a contiguous block of cell
Ctrl/dragging adds on the selection
Click a column letter selects the column
Click a row number selects the row
Click the button above Row 1 and left of Column A selects the entire sheet
Ctrl/A (selects all cells in the spreadsheet)
Data Entry Techniques
15. To create a series of consecutive numbers:
a) enter the first number in a cell
b) hold down the Ctrl key and drag using the AutoFill handle
AutoFill Handle
16. To create any other series of numbers:
a) enter the first number in a cell
b) enter the second number of the series in the cell to the right or below
c) select both cells (ensure the mouse pointer is in the big plus sign shape)
d) use the AutoFill handle to drag through as many cells as desired
AutoFill Handle
17. The AutoFill handle may also be used to copy formulas and enter the months of the year, days of the
week, times of the day.
Examples of starting entries: Jan, Monday, Week 1, Region 1, Qtr 1, 9:00 a.m.
= keyboard shortcut Excel XP Shortcuts, Tips & Tricks, ver 1.1
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18. You may also create your own AutoFill series:
a) enter the desired series in adjacent cells
b) select all of the cells used
c) select Tools | Options | Custom Lists - click Import
Note: a custom list may also be created by:
a) typing the entries into the List Entries box inside Tools | Options | Custom Lists
b) click Add
19. When entering information into a group of cells, select the range first (Ctrl/dragging may be used to
select non-contiguous ranges). Then type information into the first cell and press Enter. The next cell
down will be selected. Shift/Enter may be used to move backwards. Alternatively, you may press
Tab to move across the range and Shift/Tab to move back to the left.
Pressing any arrow key or clicking the mouse will cancel the selection of the range(s).
20. Ctrl/; enters the current date into the current cell
Ctrl/Shift/: enters the current time
= keyboard shortcut Excel XP Shortcuts, Tips & Tricks, ver 1.1
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21. To enter a fraction, type the first number, a space, and then the fraction.
Note: if only the fraction is desired, enter “0” as the whole number.
22. To edit a cell entry:
double click the cell and make the changes
OR
click on the formula bar and make the changes
F2 (Edit mode)
Formula Bar
23. While editing a cell, you can make a cell reference absolute by placing a dollar sign ($) before the
column and row references.
F4 (cycles through absolute, mixed and relative references)
24. To make the same entry or correction in multiple cells:
a) select the cells (Ctrl/clicking or /dragging may be used)
b) click on the Formula Bar
c) create or edit the entry
d) press Ctrl/Enter
25. To view formulas in a spreadsheet instead of their results:
press Ctrl/`
press Ctrl/` a second time to view results again
= keyboard shortcut Excel XP Shortcuts, Tips & Tricks, ver 1.1
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Formatting Techniques
26. To remove formatting from a cell or a range of cells:
a) select the cells (Ctrl/clicking or Ctrl/dragging may be used)
b) select Edit | Clear | Formats
27. The Format Painter may be used to copy cell formats:
a) select the cell(s) containing the desired formatting
b) click Format Painter
c) drag through the target cells
Note: double clicking Format Painter allows you to format as many ranges as you wish. When
finished formatting, click Format Painter again to turn it off or press Esc on the keyboard.
28. Cells painted with Format Painter will not update themselves if the original formatting is changed.
All cells to which the updated formatting is to be applied must be repainted.
Alternatively, a style may be used. Cells to which a style has been applied will update themselves in
the event that the style is changed. To create a style:
a) format a cell
b) ensure the formatted cell is selected
c) choose Format | Style
d) enter a descriptive name for the style in the Style Name box
e) make any other desired corrections
f) click OK
To apply a style:
a) select the cells to be formatted
b) select Format | Style
c) choose the desired style from the Style Name drop list and click OK
To modify a style:
a) ensure that at least one cell using the style is selected
b) select Format | Style
c) ensure the desired style is selected in the Style Name box
d) click Modify and make the desired change
e) OK your way back to the spreadsheet
All cells formatted with the style are reformatted.
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29. Use conditional formatting to change the appearance of values (or the results of formulas) based on a
specified criteria. For example, negative values might be red and values greater than a set number
might be blue.
a) select the range to be formatted
b) choose Format | Conditional Formatting
c) complete the rule for the first format
d) click Add
e) add other rules in the same manner
f) click OK
General
30. Use the right mouse button as a quick alternative to many menu commands. Make your selection,
keep the mouse on the selection and click the right mouse button. Switch back to using the left
button to make choices from the menu.
31. Use drag and drop to copy or move a selected range a short distance:
Place the mouse pointer on the border of the selected range, allow it to change to the arrow shape
- Move: drag the range to the new location
- Copy: Ctrl/drag the range to the new location. Release the mouse button before Ctrl.
AutoSum
32. You can total different ranges by:
a) clicking AutoSum
OR
typing “=sum(”
b) drag through the first range
c) Ctrl/drag through subsequent ranges
d) press Enter when complete
33. You can sum multiple columns and rows of data by:
a) dragging through the range; including the blank column on the right and the blank row below
b) double click AutoSum
Qtr1 Qtr2 Qtr3 Qtr4 Totals
East 100 110 112 115 Include the blank column
to the right and the blank
West 50 45 45 47 row below the values.
South 175 170 173 175 Double click AutoSum.
The selected rows and
Totals columns will be totaled.
Note: AutoSum will ignore values to the left or above an empty cell.
= keyboard shortcut Excel XP Shortcuts, Tips & Tricks, ver 1.1
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Named Ranges
34. To name a range:
a) select the range
b) click in the Name Box
c) enter the range name
d) press Enter
Name Box
Range Name Rules:
- must start with a letter
- may be 255 characters long
- may not contain spaces
- may not be the same as a cell reference
- upper or lower case letters may be used
35. To use existing row and column headings as range names:
a) select the headings and data
b) select Insert | Name | Create
c) ensure the Top Row and Left Column options are selected
d) click OK
Qtr1 Qtr2 Qtr3 Qtr4 Totals
East 100 110 112 115 437
West 50 45 45 47 187 Select the range, including the row
and column headings
South 175 170 173 175 693 Click Insert | Name | Create, OK
Totals 325 325 330 337 1317
36. Range names may be used in formulas. For example, if there is a range named Income and another
named Expenses, the formula “=Income-Expenses” may be used.
F3 (displays list of range names)
37. If you have two adjacent blocks of values named Income and Expenses, you can compute the
difference between the two blocks of values by entering the formula
“=sum(Income)-sum(Expenses)”
38. To move to a named range, click on the down arrow in the Name Box and click the desired range
name.
F5 (Goto)
39. Range names can be used as a print area. Use F5 or the Name Box to select the named range. In the
File | Print dialog box, choose the “Selection” option.
40. To paste a list of range names:
a) click in an empty cell
b) click Insert | Name | Paste, Paste List
F3
= keyboard shortcut Excel XP Shortcuts, Tips & Tricks, ver 1.1
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41. To delete a range name:
a) select Insert | Name | Define
b) select the range name
c) click Delete
d) click OK
Warning! If a range name used in a formula is deleted, the formula will be invalid.
Customizing Excel
42. Part of the default setup of Excel XP is to have the Standard and Formatting toolbars joined together
on one row. Depending on the resolution your monitor is set to, this may hide buttons. Another
default setup option is to show Short Menus. This feature displays an abbreviated list of choices in
each menu with an arrow at the bottom. To display the full menus, you must point at the arrow.
To separate the Standard and Formatting toolbars and to permanently display Full Menus, do the
following:
a) select Tools | Customize | Options
b) uncheck “Show Standard and Formatting toolbars on two rows”
c) uncheck “Always show full menus”
Toolbars
43. To add or remove a toolbar:
a) right click any toolbar
b) click the toolbar name
Note: A check mark beside a toolbar’s name indicates that it is displayed.
44. To customize a toolbar:
a) right click any toolbar
b) choose Customize - Commands
c) remove buttons by dragging them off the toolbar into the worksheet area
d) add buttons by dragging them to the desired position on a displayed toolbar
45. Dock toolbars by double clicking their title bar or by dragging them to the border of the window.
46. Make a toolbar free floating by clicking its handle and dragging down into the worksheet area.
= keyboard shortcut Excel XP Shortcuts, Tips & Tricks, ver 1.1
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Toolbar Handle
Comments
47. To add a comment to a cell:
a) click on the cell
b) right click and select Insert Comment
c) type the comment
d) click in any cell in the worksheet
To edit a comment:
a) right click the comment
b) choose Edit Comment
c) type your changes
d) click in any cell in the worksheet
To delete a comment:
a) right click the comment
b) choose Delete Comment
To show a comment:
a) right click the comment
b) choose Show/Hide Comments
To print comments:
a) select File | Page Setup | Sheet
b) in Comments, choose either At end of sheet or As displayed on sheet
= keyboard shortcut Excel XP Shortcuts, Tips & Tricks, ver 1.1
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