Excel Tip: Work Faster in Excel with these wonderful Keyboard Shortcuts
The amazing thing about the keyword shortcuts is that you can do most of the things in Excel without using Mouse. While working with massive sheets of data and creating super-detailed reports in Microsoft Excel, I have found that switching from typing on keyboard to using mouse is the most time-consuming part of using MS Excel. It breaks flow and adds extra time to finish the work. So I have learned some keyboard shortcuts that make working with Excel a little bit easier and faster.
Here are a few tips and tricks to utilizing keyboard shortcuts in Excel that speed-up your work.
Note: This article presume you are using Microsoft Excel on a Windows PC.
Selecting Cells and Data: You can quickly select cells, ranges, rows, or columns, or all data in a worksheet with keyboard shortcuts.
(Shift + Space / Ctrl + Shift + Space)- The shortcut, “Shift + Space” is used to select a row and “Ctrl + Shift + Space” is used to select the column.
You can also extend this selection by just pressing the arrow keys in appropriate direction.
(Ctrl + Page Down / Ctrl + Page Up)- Over and over again, you need to switch back and forth between different worksheets in same workbook. Instead of navigating from the buttons at the bottom, you can just use keyboard shortcuts.
(Ctrl + Page Down)- Use this shortcut to move next worksheet of active worksheet.
(Ctrl + Page Up)- Use this shortcut to move previous worksheet of active worksheet.
(Ctrl + ~)- This shortcut is used to disclose all the formulas used across the worksheet.
(F8)- This shortcut is used to makes an extended selection of cells and data. To use this, simply press F8 and after that press the arrow keys in the appropriate direction to make a selection.
Adding/Deleting Cells and Data: You can add and delete columns and rows in Excel with keyboard shortcuts, instead of right clicking with the mouse pointer on row header or mouse header.
(Ctrl + Shift + Plus Sign)- It is used to insert rows or columns. To insert a row or column with this shortcut, you need to first select an entire row or column respectively. You can also insert multiple columns and rows with this shortcut. To perform this, just select the number of rows or column you want to insert before using this shortcut.
(Ctrl + Minus Sign)- It is used to delete rows or columns. To insert a row or column with this shortcut, just select an entire row or column and simply use Ctrl + Minus Sign. You can also delete multiple columns and rows with this shortcut same as in insert rows or columns.
Entering Data: Here are the some wonderful shortcuts to enter data into cells.
(Ctrl + Enter)- This shortcut is used to fill same data in multiple selected cells. To use this, first copy a specific cell's data and then select multiple cells, after that just press Ctrl + Enter.
(Ctrl + R / Ctrl + D)- While working with a lot of similar data, it is very annoying to use Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V for copying and pasting data into other cells.
(Ctrl + R)– This shortcut is used to copy content of left cell to the right. To perform this, select multiple cells with “cell left” at left of selection and press Ctrl+R.
(Ctrl + D)- This shortcut is used to copy contents of above cell to the down. To perform this, select multiple cells with “cell above” at top of selection. You can fill down into more than one cell at once.
(Ctrl + K)- This shortcut is used to add a hyperlink to the currently selected cell.
(Ctrl + T)- This shortcut adds a table to the worksheet. It converts a range of related information to an Excel table. To use this, select any cell in range of related data and just press Ctrl+T.
(F11)- It creates a chart with the selected range in a separate worksheet. It is easier to create charts with just F11 rather than with Ribbon interface.
(Shift + F11)- This shortcut is used to insert new worksheet into current workbook.
(Shift + F2)- This shortcut is used to open and edit the comment in active cell. If there is no comment in the active cell, a new comment will be created.
(Ctrl +Alt + V)- This shortcut just opens the Paste Special dialog box. After that you have to choose the type of paste you want to perform.
Editing and Formatting within Cells: It would save your precious time more if you use some shortcuts while editing and formatting the cells.
Format Cells Dialog Box- This shortcut, Ctrl+1 shows the format cells dialog box with the "last tab used" selected. To use this, just press Ctrl+1 while working in a worksheet.
Number Formats- These shortcuts are not used mostly, but it's worth knowing that you can apply seven number formats with keyboard shortcuts.
(Control + Shift + ~) - It is used to enter general numbers as you type.
(Control + Shift + $) - It is used to enter currency.
(Control + Shift + %) - It is used to enter percentage.
(Control + Shift + ^) - It is used to enter scientific number.
(Control + Shift + #) - It is used to enter date.
(Control + Shift + @) - It is used to enter time.
(Control + Shift +!) - It is used to enter number format.
There are numerous other shortcuts in Excel. But these explained above should be more than enough to help you get things done faster. You can also see an inclusive list of all the shortcuts in Excel 2013 on Microsoft Official website at: http://office.microsoft.com/en-in/excel-help/keyboard-shortcuts-in-excel-HA102772370.aspx
Here are a few tips and tricks to utilizing keyboard shortcuts in Excel that speed-up your work.
Note: This article presume you are using Microsoft Excel on a Windows PC.
Selecting Cells and Data: You can quickly select cells, ranges, rows, or columns, or all data in a worksheet with keyboard shortcuts.
(Shift + Space / Ctrl + Shift + Space)- The shortcut, “Shift + Space” is used to select a row and “Ctrl + Shift + Space” is used to select the column.
You can also extend this selection by just pressing the arrow keys in appropriate direction.
(Ctrl + Page Down / Ctrl + Page Up)- Over and over again, you need to switch back and forth between different worksheets in same workbook. Instead of navigating from the buttons at the bottom, you can just use keyboard shortcuts.
(Ctrl + Page Down)- Use this shortcut to move next worksheet of active worksheet.
(Ctrl + Page Up)- Use this shortcut to move previous worksheet of active worksheet.
(Ctrl + ~)- This shortcut is used to disclose all the formulas used across the worksheet.
(F8)- This shortcut is used to makes an extended selection of cells and data. To use this, simply press F8 and after that press the arrow keys in the appropriate direction to make a selection.
Adding/Deleting Cells and Data: You can add and delete columns and rows in Excel with keyboard shortcuts, instead of right clicking with the mouse pointer on row header or mouse header.
(Ctrl + Shift + Plus Sign)- It is used to insert rows or columns. To insert a row or column with this shortcut, you need to first select an entire row or column respectively. You can also insert multiple columns and rows with this shortcut. To perform this, just select the number of rows or column you want to insert before using this shortcut.
(Ctrl + Minus Sign)- It is used to delete rows or columns. To insert a row or column with this shortcut, just select an entire row or column and simply use Ctrl + Minus Sign. You can also delete multiple columns and rows with this shortcut same as in insert rows or columns.
Entering Data: Here are the some wonderful shortcuts to enter data into cells.
(Ctrl + Enter)- This shortcut is used to fill same data in multiple selected cells. To use this, first copy a specific cell's data and then select multiple cells, after that just press Ctrl + Enter.
(Ctrl + R / Ctrl + D)- While working with a lot of similar data, it is very annoying to use Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V for copying and pasting data into other cells.
(Ctrl + R)– This shortcut is used to copy content of left cell to the right. To perform this, select multiple cells with “cell left” at left of selection and press Ctrl+R.
(Ctrl + D)- This shortcut is used to copy contents of above cell to the down. To perform this, select multiple cells with “cell above” at top of selection. You can fill down into more than one cell at once.
(Ctrl + K)- This shortcut is used to add a hyperlink to the currently selected cell.
(Ctrl + T)- This shortcut adds a table to the worksheet. It converts a range of related information to an Excel table. To use this, select any cell in range of related data and just press Ctrl+T.
(F11)- It creates a chart with the selected range in a separate worksheet. It is easier to create charts with just F11 rather than with Ribbon interface.
(Shift + F11)- This shortcut is used to insert new worksheet into current workbook.
(Shift + F2)- This shortcut is used to open and edit the comment in active cell. If there is no comment in the active cell, a new comment will be created.
(Ctrl +Alt + V)- This shortcut just opens the Paste Special dialog box. After that you have to choose the type of paste you want to perform.
Editing and Formatting within Cells: It would save your precious time more if you use some shortcuts while editing and formatting the cells.
Format Cells Dialog Box- This shortcut, Ctrl+1 shows the format cells dialog box with the "last tab used" selected. To use this, just press Ctrl+1 while working in a worksheet.
Number Formats- These shortcuts are not used mostly, but it's worth knowing that you can apply seven number formats with keyboard shortcuts.
(Control + Shift + ~) - It is used to enter general numbers as you type.
(Control + Shift + $) - It is used to enter currency.
(Control + Shift + %) - It is used to enter percentage.
(Control + Shift + ^) - It is used to enter scientific number.
(Control + Shift + #) - It is used to enter date.
(Control + Shift + @) - It is used to enter time.
(Control + Shift +!) - It is used to enter number format.
There are numerous other shortcuts in Excel. But these explained above should be more than enough to help you get things done faster. You can also see an inclusive list of all the shortcuts in Excel 2013 on Microsoft Official website at: http://office.microsoft.com/en-in/excel-help/keyboard-shortcuts-in-excel-HA102772370.aspx
Great post...
ReplyDeleteI was not aware of many shortcuts mentioned in this post. Ctrl + minus sign and Ctrl+Alt+V are so helpful for me. These shortcuts save my lots of time in daily Excel work.