Greetings from Charleston! On the plane ride down, my husband and I decided that the below were some of our favorite ways of being an efficient spreadsheeter. Enjoy!
1. Display all the formulas (and cell contents without the number formatting) in the worksheet
PC shortcut: Control and ~
Mac shortcut: Control and ~
Just click the shortcut again to revert back to viewing the result of all the formulas and formatting.
2. Spell Check… please do this, as someone who was runner up in the Pittsburgh City Spelling Bee in the 5th grade, I hate misspelled words!!
PC shortcut: F7
Mac shortcut: fn and F7
3. Display the format cells dialog box… my husband <3’s this one
PC shortcut: Control and 1
However for some reason, you cannot select 1 on the NumLock group of #s when performing this keyboard shortcut. You must select 1 above Q on your keyboard (don’t ask).
Or you can select Control and Shift and F
Mac shortcut: Command and 1
4. Repeat the last action… this will simply repeat what you have just done. I find this extremely useful when I go to the Page Setup dialog box, tweak my print layout click OK on one worksheet and then Repeat it on the next worksheet.
PC shortcut: F4 or Control and Y
Mac shortcut: Command and Y
Though I warn you these can be a little finicky. When you are using the Page Setup dialog box, the repeating of the last action will not work if you access the dialog box via the Print Preview. Play with this.
5. Add absolute references… meaning the dollar signs to a cell that you want to hold constant in your formula. In order to do this, you must put the cursor in the formula somewhere on the cell you want to add the absolute references to, then just click the shortcuts below, and it will add 2 dollar signs to the cell, or if you just want 1 dollar sign, keep clicking the shortcut till you get it right.
PC shortcut: F4
Mac shortcut: Command and T
I am about to Tee off in the Wild Dunes… Happy Spreadsheeting!
Small Biz Spotlight
So with my 30th birthday approaching, it has become abundantly clear that I am certainly not getting (and subsequently looking) any younger… Thus, my friends, it is time I started to wear a little makeup. For a girl that does not even own a blow dryer, the thought of purchasing, applying, wearing, not smudging, re-applying (once I eventually smudge) and finally removing makeup was daunting to say the least.
In the past when I have had my makeup done at the place down the block, I have always felt a smidgeon like a lady of the evening (and not in a good way). And while friends would try to ease my fears, saying that I simply was not used to wearing makeup (as they nervously backed away for fear of association), it was clear that I had not yet found the right makeup system for ME!
In my seemingly never ending quest to find balance between blemishes and borsch, a friend recommended that I schedule a one on one makeup lesson with Kimara Ahnert.
Upon arriving at Kimara Ahnert’s boutique on Madison Ave, I immediately realize how much damage could be done in a fabulous place such as this… Whether you are simply in need of fresh makeup products or perhaps a bikini, cleavage cupcakes (for my fellow chest challenged crew), commandos, tank tops or a facial. Kimara Ahnert puts awkward department store cosmetic counters to shame and instead provides an amazing ambiance that provides instant comfort.
My lesson with Kimara included a customized makeup application and tutorial along with detailed written instructions for future application. In addition, they were not at all pushy in terms of trying to sell products, which we all know can be a problem at some other establishments that shall remain unnamed.
So whether you are a black belt with blush or a lipstick lightweight, you owe it to yourself (and your face) to check out the products and services at Kimara Ahnert (located at 1113 Madison Avenue in Manhattan as well as a NEW location at 88 Greenwich Avenue in Greenwich, CT).
If Excel is bumming you out, just Submit a Request and we will show that spreadsheet of yours who’s boss.
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Until next time,
Jen Portland
The Excel Rain Diva 🙂