problem is the merged cells with the year dates in them should never have been unmerged and she never have to select across years ... she should be using cell ranges for the data ... as it is display page she was on NOT a calculation page ... she messed up big time ... excel first and foremost is a database ... thats right folks a database ... not a spreedsheet ... thats the maths you do on the database of information you have entered into the spreedsheet ... most of what she calls wrong is actually just NOT the way she was taught ... she never learned the old fashioned hand made spreedsheets and accounting books ... and so has no background in WHY things are done differently than the way she understands them ...
I am a self taught Excel user. I knew that I wasn’t taking advantage of Excel like I should, but after finding your channel I realize that I have a lot to learn. I find your teaching technique and examples are very good and I plan to go back in your lessons and relearn using the tips you provide..great job thanks!
The external links issue has plagued me for years. Thank you for clarifying how this happens, how to prevent it and how to correct it. This is why I subscribed to your channel.
I had a similar problem but when I go to break the external link I get errors as it cannot find the original document! I have a feeling I need to rebuild sheet from stratch!
This is a big headache, MS is acting like terrorist when we do NOT want external links to be created in the first place. So If anyone needs external links to be created , then make it from paste drop down menu ... but hey, why would MS do that,right? they cant even make it simple to implement CTRL+SHIFT+V for PASTE AS TEXT feature .... google has it for years. crap
I also had similar issues which I tended to resolve by global search/replace. This is a much more elegant solution; thank you Leila, especially as it also catches the remote links in conditional formatting which is notoriously difficult to find without resorting to some sort of VB routine.
@@felipesignorellireis7839 at 8:42 you see a "1" in cell C21, which changes as she changes the selection in the dashboard. She probably manually added a radio button with the options and linked it to cell C21, with a dynamic array formula (FILTER) just below it. See this other video of hers: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-oSTgFUiRDGI.html
Although an extensive Excel user, I've learned a lot from your videos. Thanks Finally have something to contribute. Hidden numbers. Your comments are great. One additional - Name the cell that you will use in multiple cells. In your example, name 8% "InterestRate". When you include it in cells, it already is fixed with '$'. Also, you mention using 7 or 24 is okay. Those are still "magic numbers." Why 7? Instead, use Name Manager, define "DaysOfTheWeek" as "=7" Now your formula is divided by "DaysOfTheWeek" making it very clear what the 7 meant.
Somehow I prefer to also put the labels in a sheet 🤷♀️ Now I’m curious what happens with =7 (hard coded value), but not enough as to open the computer. It will have to wait till tomorrow Yup, it doesn’t appear in the Name Box like the labels that are cell references. I can see the benefit of having universal constants “protected” in Name Manager rather than at large in a sheet. I guess it has advantages and disadvantages like most things in life :))
Yes, after the Mars Climate Observer became the Mars Crustal Observer due to a units conversion error, I replaced hardcoded values with named conversions. I have a sheet named Conversions with entries like this: Basic conversions: Factor Value Atm2pa 101325.0 atm2psi 14.6960 btu2j 1055.1 cal2J 4.1868 F2R 459.6699607 ft2m 0.3048 lb2kg 0.4536 psi2pa 6894.757 The values become named variables that can be used in formulas and I can then do complex conversions like: Enthalpy 5.000 Btu/lb 11.63 kJ/kg where the 11.63 value is =B33*btu2j/lb2kg/1000 Thus the conversions are documented in the formulas.
Epic as always! I do have one thing to add on the edit links issue: If you "move or copy" a protected worksheet over to a new workbook, you won't be able to change the source to the destination workbook until you unprotect the worksheet. So if anyone runs into this and panics when the "Change Source" button is grayed out, just unlock the worksheet and carry on... *IF, the worksheet you want to copy is protected and you don't know the password, just select the entire worksheet in the source file, then copy/paste all of it into a blank worksheet in the destination file, you can use Paste Special to paste formats, formulas, column widths, etc. to get an unlocked identical version of the locked source worksheet. Then Edit Links/Change Source, and you're good to go in that case as well. Also, if you get plagued by external links that you just can't seem to find, check into your Data Validation Drop Down lists and look for references to external sources. I've run into that one often too.
I am the only person in my company with any prior IT experience and everything you mention here, as well as many other basic problems, I come across daily. It's seems to be a never ending task adjusting and correcting all these sheets. Other sheets I refuse to touch as they have become so complex over the years it is easier to just start again with a blank page. I wish I could get everyone in the company to spend a couple of hours a week watching your channel. I watch a few now and then and manage to pick up a gem or two I didn't know. Keep up the good work there are plenty of people who benefit from your knowledge and generosity.
Hi Leila, I'd like to thank you for all the material you provide us! I've started watching your videos in 2017 and took the Unlock Excel VBA and Macros course when I was still an Electrical Engineering undergraduate. The skills I've learned with you helped me a lot during my internship, and today I work as a planning engineer in a huge utility company in my country (Brazil). Your courses surely have been a great part of my success. Congratulations for your excel!ent work and thank you very much!
One 'new' item for me, i.e. checking for external links, and 6 helpful 'reminders' ... for a total of 7 gems ... 👍👍 Thank you ... thank you ... thank you ....
Although I retired after 40 year career in Marine Engineering, I love to learn as well as I love Excel! I wish I had this channel when I was working but I’m glad I found it now. Keeping up with the Kual kids now!
Have learned it by trial and error and feel that people who are watching this video are lucky as they get readymade intelligence. Thanks, Leila for making me think in Excel.
RE hardcoding values, another tip is to use consistent cell styles (home>styles). I'm "forcing" myself, colleagues, and clients to always format cells according to whether it's data input, calculation, or comments to help distinguish between hard-coded input and soft / calculated values. Makes the sheet also visually easier to understand.
As a Financial Professional I spend a lot of time in Excel, and while I use many excel features, learning tips or things I just never knew existed but find useful is so helpful. The simple text fill and justify tab will save me so much work, and it will make Notations on the bottom of reports so much easier. Thank you so much.
Center across selection?!! I never knew that was there! I'm definitely going to be using that now, thanks Leila! :) Good tip about not using hard-coded numbers. In programming those are called "'magic numbers" and it's considered bad practice.
I absolutely despise merged cells. When Excel added that feature, I had to add a macro button for the center across cells function, since I use it so frequently.
I've been using Excel for decades,and usually think "there can't be anything new here to me!". And yet, you always manage to highlight features I was completely unaware of. Keep up the amazing work.
Check out these videos on my channel 👇👇 Thermometer Graph ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-oFw_EQuJMww.html Database Functions (DCOUNT, DSUM, DAVERAGE) ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ahETzqXk8QU.html Excel Shortcut Keys (Urdu / Hindi) ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-EcZdUZMHjY8.html Spell Number - Convert Numbers To Text In Excel ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-p95xplEadq0.html Settling Invoices against payment using solver ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-a7ZvXYOCDUc.html Quarterly Sum using Offset Function ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-fAMXOxhxDsw.html One Minute Learning Series Column Charts ru-vid.comxqnt_gFJGl8?feature=share Remove Excel Blanks ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-kWApMQ64i8Y.html Autofilter Hack ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-s0zFJniAygg.html Sumif ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-dSZ5LdcU-sA.html
Fabulous video as always. Kudos Dear Leila! You are definitely the Angel Queen of Spreadsheets. Two alternative, albeit less elegant, but perhaps slightly faster approaches for the first two things done wrong in Excel. *(1) External Links* :: Press *CTRL+H* to open the Find & Replace window, and replace all instances of _[Start.xlsx]_ with _just nothing._ Don't forget to choose "Look in Formulas" in the last dropdown list of the Find and Replace window. *(2) Manually Adjusting Text in Cells* :: While editing the long text spanning multiple columns so as to break it into multiple lines, press *ALT + ENTER* as many times to insert as many line breaks within the text as needed.
I watched the video expecting to get great tips, which was correct. Some I did know, some not. Yet the most valuable thing to be was quickly referenced in the third tip when you double clicked format painter to apply formatting across multiple locations. I had no clue that existed. So I got 8 tips instead of 7. Thanks Leila.
Also, for variable, instead of referencing using an abolute cell reference, there is the option to Name the Cell whcich can also help clarify what variables are in a formula.
It can also be useful to name constants, so people looking at the formula can follow your thinking. And it will reduce the possibility of a constant being mistyped if used in multiple places.
The external links issued has bothered me for five years, I liked the other selections and use many of them but being able to update the external links is a great help.
The fixing of a group of cell within a formula is life changing for me. I knew I needed to do that, but didn't realize there was a shortcut key for it.
Having to manually adjust the references to the former file I thought was quick, but Edit Links is so much easier and no risk of missing a reference. Tyvm
Thank you for the link feature. I actually manually amended all the formulas when copying from one workbook into another! Thank you so much for teaching this one.
I'm retired now and still find your videos amazingly useful. Where were you when I was starting my career?! I shutter to think of how much time & frustration I would have saved by knowing your tips. Ugh. Thanks.
Thank you for sharing these tips-I am almost entirely self-taught and I am NO power user. All my best stuff I got from my wife. Now I know that I can refer to your channel and courses to get, like, really good at excel.
Referring to tip#6: “hardcoded” values An even better idea is to put such a value (usually a parameter, such as: VAT, discount factor, local tax etc.) into an outstanding cell at the top of the worksheet [with its description] so that it can be easily seen and easily modified. This, of course, is not applicable in cases where you have many parameters on the same sheet. Unfortunately, there's no method to make sure that this parameter is being used in all the formulae in which it was meant to be used.
When I look at your video thumbnails and the titles, I click without any expectations thinking that "I probably know it all" attitude. But you smash my attitude with your content every time. I pick up at least one thing from your videos even if it is a simple topic or the tasks that I do on a day to day basis. Thank you @Leila Gharani. Truly appreciate it.
Some great advice there, Leila. Regarding external links - they are annoying to work with! The biggest challenge is breaking them from the Edit Links window. Sometimes it’s impossible to find every last trace of them in a workbook. It’s a shame that clicking Break Link doesn’t do that for you!
At times, some external references exist in Name manager as well. Delete references from Name Manager (Ctrl F3 is shortcut) and your links would break easily after that.
Hi. I'm considered an expert by my colleagues but I know I have so much to learn. Excel is such an awesome program. Everytime I have a challenge I say I have to ask Leila! Thanks so much for your excellent videos!
Good tips. I love to use table, but sometimes it seemed to slow down the process when you have a more complicated formulas. Also, I never understand the concept of grouping. Can you do a video of grouping? What’s the purpose it? Thanks.
If you've ever used the Subtotals feature, the end result of that one is to create something like groups and subgroups for the data, allowing you to toggle between viewing the detailed entries within the data and viewing just the category totals (which an SQL user might call "rollups"). Groups work similarly, except they don't have the extra row, they just allows you to toggle visibility of data. (while leaving a visible marker on the side, as the video shows.)
Leila, I was taught not to merge cells years ago, 2006 maybe. Ever since, I've despised those that would do it. I have to figure out how to get all those that do that to come to your site. Then you go one step further and teach me how to find those pesky things. This is outstanding!!!
I wish that the guys from Sage Cloud would watch these videos. Their exports to Excel are a pain. Quickbooks is a bit better but their Excel exports still take a lot of cleaning up.
It's always a delight to watch your creations! The content depth and the speed of how you go about things seem to always match my expectations and information intake capabilities 😊
I've spent about 15 years learning Excel, and it looks like I'm at about 1% of its capability. Stumbled on this Tubers page by accident. Definitely subscribing to this one. Thank you for sharing.
When it comes to hardcoding - ofcourse never within a formula, and it is also easy to spot which cells are a hardcoded number and which are the outcome of a formula by making a hardcoded input number blue compared to the standard black print.
I took an Excel course in the mid 90's. I thought I was pretty good at excel until I started watching your videos. So much new that I did not know. Could you make a video about the most important changes in Excel in the last 20 years
People take this that I know Excel very well, But they won’t listen when I tell them, “Don’t ask me. Ask Leila, by watching her video on the subject.” 🤷🏼
I really like the tip about searching for formatting using Find/Find Next/Find All... we normally think about searching for the content so this is a creative alternate way to think about the workbook content.
Best tip from this video: F4 for stepping through the options for locking a reference. Brilliant. Used Excel since forever, never seen that one before.
The more I learn about Excel, the more I realize how much I don't know... and I've been using it almost daily for more than 20 years. Leila, thanks for taking the time to put these videos together.
That channel is one of my favourites and certainly one of the best in excel learning and improvement. Your presentation is awesome. Thank you very much and may God bless you
Leila .. You are doing a wonderful job of educating us all. Thank you. 10 years ago I was teaching Excel at night school. it's amazing how much they have sneaked into the product since then (that I hadn't noticed). I thought I knew a lot - wrong! I went through your 7 missing things. Numbers 2,3,5,7. were news to me. When tables were added I did not bother much as I had found ways to get round some of the difficulties. I now appreciate them more. I think there was one tiny inaccuracy in video - if you don't use tables, charts will update automatically as long as you take care to look out for the bounds of the range. That said, your videos are wonderful. Thankyou ! Thankyou ! Thankyou !
This made me so happy because you just confirmed that I do best practices! On my personal ribbon bar called "go to work" which I run anytime someone sends me a new workbook. It basically eliminates all the bad practices you pointed out. I wish they would just eliminate center&merge from the tool bar. As a keyboard guy it is pure evil.
Ok… center across selection… I have no clue how it has eluded me unto this point, but I am so grateful for your sharing!!! This will be a game changer for me 💃
I clicked this and was fully captivated & amazed by #2 Merge Cells-Center Across Cells is a game-changer. Who knew there was so much room for improvement with excel basics?! 🤷🏽♂️ Leila knew 😊
Holy cow! I have been using Excel for 20 years every day, and the only one I knew about and used in my work was the very last on using tables. Many thanks for this!
Center across selection is one I'd never noticed, and it's going to make a few of my employer's spreadsheets so much cleaner once I implement it. Thanks!
@3:45 WAIT WHAT!!!! I've merged cells, I've ALT-ENTERed, but I've never used FILL&Justify. TY TY TY. Signed up for your courses and can't wait to dig in!!! LOL, the Center Across Selection is another great tip. That "can't perform on merged cells" always IRKED me.
Thank you. I've been using Excel for almost 30 years and this is the first video that taught me something new in a very long time. What was it? I didn't know I could "Merge Across Selected". That will be useful to me from now on.
Break Links is one of the first things I do on client prepared audit support. So often I've had to help peers with client docs that show up as #VALUE everywhere because the data is referencing something on the client server/folders. GAH! Or when you move/copy a single sheet from a workbook at there were formulas referencing other sheets. Break Links is a must for anyone in public accounting.
Thanks a lot. I am using Excel for a while, it’s my daily work, but, imagine, even I who guessed I am a geek had learned something new. Keep up your work. It’s really great! 👍
As I seen the titel, I was like "ok let's do this, little repeat and maybe some little things new to know"... and now I am like doubt about my Excel knowledge! Thanks again for a great video/course! Thx Leila!
