Using Excel's Special number format

Excel Tip: Have you ever received a data file that had telephone numbers without formatting, like in the left screenshot below, starting in row 2? Without formatting, you don’t really know if it’s a regular number or a phone number. You can use the Special category on the Number formatting tab to correctly format the phone numbers. Select the Phone Number type in the Type box as indicated in the right screenshot.

For support on using the Special number format, contact me at sharon_daniel@att.net. Need help with Excel - coaching, data analysis and/or training? Contact me at 561-289-9484 to discuss your needs.

Using Excel's Sparklines in-cell Charts

What if you want a high-level overview of trends in your Excel data? Use Excel Sparklines in-cell charts to quickly see trends without creating a separate chart.

Sparkline are tiny charts that fit in a worksheet cell that graphically show trends in the data. Sparklines are dynamic; if you change data values, the sparklines automatically update. There are three styles of sparklines: line, column and win/loss. In the screenshot below, I used the line and column Sparklines charts to represent monthly sales volume for each of the reps.

For support on using Sparklines, contact me at sharon_daniel@att.net. Need help with Excel - coaching, data analysis and/or training? Contact me at 561-289-9484 to discuss your needs.

Using Excel's Freeze Panes

Excel Tip: What happened to my column headings in my spreadsheet? Have you ever asked yourself this question when scrolling through data? If so, Freeze Panes can solve this problem! Freeze Panes lets you keep an area of a worksheet visible while you scroll to another area. With Freeze Panes, you can lock specific rows, such as the top row(s) and/or left most columns in place. Use the View tab to set Freeze Panes.

Contact me at sharon_daniel@att.net for support on using Freeze Panes. Need help with Excel - coaching, data analysis and/or training? Contact me at 561-289-9484 to discuss your needs.