Page 133 - JoFA_Jan_Apr23

TECHNOLOGY Q&A

MICROSOFT EXCEL
Quick Excel tips for accountants

Q. I would like A. There are so many tips that can be learned in Ex-
my employees to cel! I could write pages of them, but let’s start with a
be more efficient just a few quick ones for varying levels of proficiency.
with Excel. They
are all at different 1. Shortcuts for copy and paste: It’s a fact that the
Excel proficiency more time your hands are off the mouse and on the
levels. Are there keyboard, the faster you work. Copying and pasting
some quick tips I are two actions done many times when using Excel,
could share with so get in the habit of using these shortcuts:
them? ■ For a PC: Ctrl+C to copy and Ctrl+V to paste. cell) to instantly populate the column (see the
■ For a Mac: Command+C to copy and screenshot at top right).
Command+V to paste.
5. Resize a column: Sometimes you enter so much
2. Instantly switch from one Excel document to in a cell that it cannot all be seen, or you enter so
another: If you are using more than one Excel work- little that there is a lot of extra space. Don’t try to
book at a time, this will speed up the time it takes to manually resize the column. All you need to do is
switch between documents. double-click the boundary between the column
■ For a PC: Ctrl+Tab. header that contains your data and the column
■ For a Mac: Option+Tab. header to the right of the column you are sizing.
This will perfectly accommodate the contents of the
3. Select all consecutive data in columns cells in that column.
and/or rows: Selecting consecutive data from
columns and/or rows by scrolling is fine if you have a 6. Quickly move a column: You may want to reor-
small amount of data to select. If you have ever tried ganize the order of columns in your Excel spread-
doing this for a large amount of data, you probably sheet. Select the column you want to move and
know how unruly this gets. It takes time and you hover over the edge of the column until the cursor
probably went past the last row or column of data — changes to an arrow icon. Click Shift and hold the
yes, Excel speeds up as you do this. There is a quick left mouse button to drag and drop the column
and less frustrating way to select your consecutive where you want the column in your spreadsheet.
Submit a data from columns and rows. Put your cursor in the
question first cell you want selected, then: 7. Paste formulas as values: You may be using a
■ For a PC: spreadsheet that contains formulas, but before you
Do you have o Ctrl+Shift+↓ to select the column of data. email that spreadsheet, it might be wise to change
technology o Ctrl+Shift+→ to select the row(s) of data. the formulas to values to avoid the risk of any
questions for this ■ For a Mac: numbers being altered. Copy the entire worksheet
column? Or, after o Command+Shift+↓ to select the column of by clicking the square on the top left of the spread-
reading an answer, data. sheet located between the A column and the 1 row
do you have a o Command+Shift+→ to select the row(s) of and clicking Ctrl+C on a PC or Command+C on a
better solution? data. Mac. Select Paste, then select Paste Special on the
Send them to Home tab. Select Values, then click OK.
jofatech@aicpa.org. 4. Use the Fill Handle to instantly copy down:
We regret When creating a formula or entering numbers or 8. Don’t show gridlines in your Excel spread-
being unable to text into a cell, dragging the contents of that cell sheet: You may not want to show the gridlines in
individually answer down a long column can be time-consuming and your Excel spreadsheet, for example, when prepar-
all submitted tedious. Instead, just double-click the Fill Handle ing an invoice for clients. It may look sleeker and
questions. (the green box in the bottom right corner of the more professional without those gridlines. It’s very

42 | Journal of Accountancy March 2023