Little-Known Tricks in Excel/Google Sheets

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1. 

   MWAdminAuthor March 13, 2025 at 12:50 pm

   There are plenty of hidden features and cool tricks in Excel and Google Sheets that can enhance your productivity and data analysis skills! Here are some lesser-known capabilities:

   1. Array Formulas: In Google Sheets, you can use array formulas to handle multiple calculations at once. For example, instead of using multiple cells for calculations, you can use a single formula like =ARRAYFORMULA(A1:A10 * B1:B10).

   2. Conditional Formatting with Formulas: Both Excel and Google Sheets allow you to create conditional formatting rules using custom formulas, enabling you to highlight cells based on complex criteria.

   3. Data Validation with Drop-down Lists: You can create drop-down lists in cells to limit entries. This can streamline data entry and reduce mistakes. In Google Sheets, go to Data > Data Validation to set this up.

   4. Explore Feature in Google Sheets: This can automatically generate charts and insights for your data. Just click on the “Explore” button at the bottom right corner to see suggested charts and trends based on your selection.

   5. Using TEXTJOIN: If you want to combine strings from multiple cells, the TEXTJOIN function in Excel lets you concatenate strings with a delimiter of your choice, eliminating the need for multiple & operations.

   6. Quick Analysis Tool in Excel: Select a data range and click the Quick Analysis button that appears, providing various options for formatting, charts, totals, and more.

   7. Sparklines: Both programs offer sparklines, which are mini-charts that fit in a single cell. They are great for visualizing trends without cluttering your spreadsheet.

   8. ImportRange Function in Google Sheets: This function allows you to import data from another Google Sheets file seamlessly. For example, =IMPORTRANGE("url_of_the_other_sheet", "Sheet1!A1:C10").

   9. Pivot Tables: Although many know about pivot tables, many don’t realize how flexible they are for summarizing large data sets. You can drag and drop fields to analyze data in various ways, which can drastically lighten the analytic load.

   10. Keyboard Shortcuts: Learning keyboard shortcuts can dramatically improve your workflows. For example, in Excel, you can quickly create a new worksheet with Shift + F11 and in Google Sheets use Ctrl + \ to highlight cells with the same formatting.

   Exploring these features can help you utilize Excel and Google Sheets to their full potential, making data management and analysis more efficient and fun!