Excel Cheat Sheet: A Beginner's Guide

Embarking on your Excel journey can feel like navigating a maze without a map. That's where this Excel Cheat Sheet comes into play! Tailored for beginners, it's the compass to decode Excel's complexities, transforming daunting tasks into simple, actionable steps. Ready to become fluent in the language of Excel? Let's dive in! 

Table of Contents: 

1) Basics of Excel Cheat Sheet 

  a) Data entry 

  b) Data editing 

  c) Data movement and selection 

  d) Locate and swap 

2) Cell Formatting Cheat Sheet  

3) Formula Cheat Sheet for Excel  

4) Conclusion 

Basics of Excel Cheat Sheet 

Excel proficiency requires mastering the basics. Here's what you need to know: 

1) Data entry 

Efficient data entry is the foundation of Excel proficiency. Here's how to master it: 

1) Select the cells where you want to enter data. 

2) Begin typing to input your data directly into the selected cells. 

3) Use shortcuts like Ctrl + ; to insert the current date, and Ctrl + Enter to fill multiple selected cells with the same data. 

 

  

2) Data editing 

Editing data in Excel goes beyond simple text changes. Here's how to make modifications effectively: 

1) Utilise the Flash Fill feature to fill in data when a pattern is detected automatically. 

2) Explore the Find and Replace feature to make widespread changes across your worksheet. 

3) Use Ctrl + Z to undo unintended modifications quickly. 

3) Data movement and selection 

Master the art of moving and selecting data to streamline your Excel projects: 

1) Shortcuts like Ctrl + Shift + Arrow Key extend selections to the last non-empty cell 

2) Employ Ctrl + C, Ctrl + X, and Ctrl + V for copy, cut, and paste operations 

3) Use the Fill Handle to copy data or fill series in adjacent cells quickly 

4) Locate and swap 

Efficiently navigating and manipulating large datasets is essential in Excel: 

1) Utilise the Find feature to locate specific data points quickly. 

2) Leverage the Replace function for bulk data adjustments. 

3) Use techniques like Paste Special > Transpose to swap data between cells without losing data integrity. 

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Cell formatting Cheat Sheet 

If you are looking to elevate your data presentation, you can go a long way with these formatting essentials:
 

1) Numbers Formats 

When presenting numerical data, selecting the proper format is crucial for clarity. Here are some common number formats to consider: 

a) General: Default format without specific styles 

b) Number: Displays numbers with decimals and commas 

c) Currency: Adds currency symbols to the numbers 

d) Percentage: Represents the value as a percentage 

e) Date: Formats the cell value as a date 

To apply different number formats: 

1) Select the cells you want to format 

2) Right-click and choose ‘Format Cells’ or use the shortcut Ctrl+1 

3) Click on the ‘Number’ tab, and select the desired format from the list 

2) Text Formats 

Enhance the appearance and readability of text in your spreadsheet using various formatting options. These include changing font type, size, colour, and style directly from the Home tab. You can also explore text alignment, wrapping text within cells, and using cell styles to maintain consistency across your document. 

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3) Shading and borders 

Improving the visual layout of your spreadsheet can be achieved by adding cell shading and borders. This helps to highlight important data or differentiate between sections of your spreadsheet. To apply shading and borders: 

1) Select the cells you want to format. 

2) Right-click and select ‘Format Cells’ or use the shortcut Ctrl+1. 

3) Click the ‘Border’ tab to customise cell borders or the ‘Fill’ tab for shading. 

4) Conditional Formatting 

Conditional formatting empowers you to apply formats based on specific conditions, enhancing data visualisation and analysis. Follow these steps to implement it effectively: 

1) Select the cells to which you want to apply conditional formatting. 

2) Navigate to the ‘Home’ tab and choose ‘Conditional Formatting’ from the ribbon. 

3) Select from the list of available conditions or create a new rule tailored to your requirements. 

4) Assign the appropriate format for the selected condition, ensuring clarity and emphasis where needed. 

Formula Cheat Sheet for Excel 

What if you could perform complex tasks with a few simple commands? Unlock the power of Excel with these key formulas: 

1) Text functions  

Manipulate text data efficiently with these essential functions: 

1) LEFT: Extracts a specified number of characters from the beginning of a text string. 

2) RIGHT: Extracts a specified number of characters from the end of a text string. 

3) MID: Returns a specific number of characters from a text string, starting at the position you specify. 

4) CONCATENATE (or CONCAT): Combines multiple text strings into one. 

5) LOWER: Converts text to lowercase. 

2) Math functions  

Perform calculations seamlessly with these mathematical functions: 

1) SUM: Adds up a range of numbers. 

2) AVERAGE: Calculates the average of a range of numbers 

3) MIN: Returns the smallest number in a set of values 

4) MAX: Returns the most significant number in a set of values 

5) ROUND: Rounds a number to a specified number of digits 

3) Time functions 

Manage date and time data effectively using these functions: 

1) NOW: Returns the current date and time. 

2) TODAY: Returns the current date. 

3) DATEDIF: Calculates the difference between two dates. 

4) EOMONTH: Returns the last day of the month, a specified number of months ahead or behind a given date. 

4) Functions for Excel lookups 

Search and retrieve data efficiently with these lookup functions: 

1) VLOOKUP: Searches for a value in the first column of a table and returns a value in the same row from a specified column. 

2) HLOOKUP: This function searches for a value in the first row of a table and returns a value from a specified row in the same column. 

3) INDEX: Returns a value from a specified row and column within a given range or table. 

4) MATCH: Searches for a specified item in a range or array and returns the relative position of the item within that range. 

Conclusion 

This Excel Cheat Sheet is your stepping stone into the world of Excel. With the basics under your belt, cell formatting skills, and a handful of powerful formulas, you’re now equipped to tackle your Excel tasks with confidence. Remember, practice makes perfect. So, don't hesitate to dive in and explore the numerous possibilities that Excel has to offer! 

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