Excel Hacks

Book excerpt: Millions of users create and share Excel spreadsheets every day, but few go deeply enough to learn the techniques that will make their work much easier. There are many ways to take advantage of Excel's advanced capabilities without spending hours on advanced study. Excel Hacks provides more than 130 hacks -- clever tools, tips and techniques -- that will leapfrog your work beyond the ordinary. Now expanded to include Excel 2007, this resourceful, roll-up-your-sleeves guide gives you little known "backdoor" tricks for several Excel versions using different platforms and external applications. Think of this book as a toolbox. When a need arises or a problem occurs, you can simply use the right tool for the job. Hacks are grouped into chapters so you can find what you need quickly, including ways to: Reduce workbook and worksheet frustration -- manage how users interact with worksheets, find and highlight information, and deal with debris and corruption. Analyze and manage data -- extend and automate these features, moving beyond the limited tasks they were designed to perform. Hack names -- learn not only how to name cells and ranges, but also how to create names that adapt to the data in your spreadsheet. Get the most out of PivotTables -- avoid the problems that make them frustrating and learn how to extend them. Create customized charts -- tweak and combine Excel's built-in charting capabilities. Hack formulas and functions -- subjects range from moving formulas around to dealing with datatype issues to improving recalculation time. Make the most of macros -- including ways to manage them and use them to extend other features. Use the enhanced capabilities of Microsoft Office 2007 to combine Excel with Word, Access, and Outlook. You can either browse through the book or read it from cover to cover, studying the procedures and scripts to learn more about Excel. However you use it, Excel Hacks will help you increase productivity and give you hours of "hacking" enjoyment along the way.