Excel Spreadsheets: More Common Excel Questions

It’s time to answer more of your burning Excel questions…

A little while ago, I wrote an article answering some of the most common questions I get asked about Microsoft Excel and how to use it. 

I was so pleased to receive so much positive feedback from the Excel Ace community about the article, telling me how much it had helped them. So I thought, why not write another? 

The thing about Excel is the more you scratch at its surface the more questions and answers there are to uncover. That’s why I love it so much – it can be so helpful in so, so many situations. 

In this article, I’m going to answer 10 MORE of the most common questions I get asked about Microsoft Excel. Hopefully, these answers will help you with the questions you may not have had the courage or opportunity to ask. 

1. How do I lock cells in an Excel worksheet?

Locking specific cells in Excel can be crucial for maintaining the integrity of your data.

To lock cells, select them, right-click, navigate to ‘Format Cells,’ go to the ‘Protection’ tab, check ‘Locked,’ and enforce protection using ‘Review’ > ‘Protect Sheet.’

2. How can I protect an entire Excel workbook?

To protect your entire workbook, click ‘Review’ > ‘Protect Workbook.’ Set a password for added security (though this is optional) and then confirm to restrict structural and window changes that will help to maintain the integrity of your data.

3. What is the difference between a function and a formula in Excel?

Understanding the difference between functions and formulas is essential when using Excel. 

Here it is in a nutshell: A function is a predefined calculation, while a formula is a user-created expression that can encompass functions, operators, and cell references.

4. How can I create a drop-down list in Excel?

Navigate to ‘Data’ > ‘Data Validation,’ select ‘List’ under ‘Allow,’ and enter the range or list values. 

This enhances data consistency and accuracy and helps to speed up the process of assigning recurring data values to cells. 

5. How do I merge cells in Excel, and what are the implications of doing so?

Merging cells is an ACE formatting tool. Select the cells you want to merge, then go to ‘Home’ > ‘Merge & Center.’ 

BONUS TIP: You should exercise caution when merging cells as this action may result in data loss from all but the top-left cell and it can also impact data sorting and filtering that you might have in place.

6. What are Excel macros and how are they created?

Macros are programmed sequences of commands that are used to automate tasks in Excel. 

They’re created using the ‘Record Macro’ feature or are written in VBA (Visual Basic for Applications – Excel’s hidden language) via the ‘Developer’ tab. Macros streamline repetitive actions, enhancing efficiency.

7. How can I remove duplicates from an Excel sheet?

Eliminating duplicates from your sheets helps to keep your data clean and to maintain data integrity. 

To easily remove duplicates from an Excel sheet, select data, go to ‘Data’ > ‘Remove Duplicates,’ choose columns to check for duplicates, and press ‘OK.’ This ensures cleaner and more accurate datasets.

8. Can I link data from one Excel sheet to another? How?

Absolutely! You can really enhance your data connectivity by linking sheets. 

To link sheets, use formulas with cell references like ‘=Sheet2!A1’ to display data from Sheet 2 in the selected cell. Additionally, you can use formulas to link data across workbooks when both are open.

9. How do I convert Excel data into a PDF?

You can simplify data sharing by converting Excel files to PDF. To convert Excel data into a PDF, navigate to ‘File’ > ‘Save As,’ choose ‘PDF’ from the ‘Save as type’ dropdown menu, and save the file in PDF format.

10. What are Excel slicers and how do they work with pivot tables?

Slicers can help you to improve pivot table interactivity. After creating a pivot table, insert a slicer by going into ‘PivotTable Tools’ > ‘Insert Slicer.’ You can then select the fields to filter and confirm. This will provide you with a visual and user-friendly way to analyse data.

Summary

So there you have it, 10 MORE common Excel questions answered. Hopefully, they’ve answered some of those burning questions and solved some more of your Excel conundrums. 

If not, don’t worry, you can always reach out to me by email with your questions, or you can book a FREE 30-minute consultation with me to take a look over how you can enhance your Excel usage and make life easier. Book an appointment.