These pages contain tips and tricks for Microsoft Excel that I have found useful, and casual users may not know of their existence. These are the few tips I have written to date. Please come back often, as I hope to add more to the list. Hope you find them useful and give your suggestions, if any.

The sample files containing the following tips can be found in the Download page.

Store constants or parameters used in a spread sheet
The parameters used in the calculations are sometimes difficult to remember. Especially, when you try to use the spread sheet after a long break. For instance, when you program a spread sheet that uses the density of water, then at the programming stage, a value of 1000 (density of water) will be entered into the spread sheet. Say, six months later, you try to use the spread sheet for Steel, you have to dig out the reference books to find the required parameters. In fact the density for various materials can be stored in the cell as the comments field. Right click the cell, and select 'Insert Comment' to enter the density for various materials. When the mouse stops at the cell, the appropriate coefficient will be displayed.

Equation solver
Excel's Goal Seek under the Tools menu is a very powerful equation solver. It can solve sets of equations spread out in various cells as shown in the example page.

Conditional formatting
In a big spread sheet, checking the spreadsheet for answers, which satisfy certain conditions may be a tedious task. You can let Excel show those answers in different colours under different conditions, so that searching will be much easier. The Conditional formatting under the Format menu of Excel is meant for this purpose.
For example, suppose a cell contains a formula that calculates the stresses on a material. Microsoft Excel can apply red shading to the cell if the stress exceeds allowable stress while shown in yellow shading when the stress fall within the allowable limits.

Work Program Using Exel Chart
Excel chart not only very versatile for creating various graphs and charts, but it also can be used to build flexible work program chart. The duration of each event will be entered into each cell, and relation between each related events can be programmed into each cells. By changing a duration of an event in a cell will cause the whole chart to be updated automatically. Besides, by dragging a bar in the chart will also change the corresponding duration in that cell. Therefore, it is possible to see visually how the program chart will look like, by dragging a bar in the chart. See it for yourself in the chart example page.

Amend a formula using mouse only
Do you know that the formula in a cell can be amended without keyboard? Check it out.

Reference books:

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