Top 10 Tips for Newbie Excel Users to Make Excel Less Daunting

Excel can seem intimidating to beginners, with its endless rows and columns, cryptic formulas, and unfamiliar features. 

However, once you grasp the basics, it becomes a powerful tool for organizing data, performing calculations, and even visualizing information. 

Whether you’re using it for work, school, or personal projects, Excel can be a game-changer when used effectively. 

If you’re new to Excel and looking for ways to make it less daunting, this guide will walk you through ten essential tips to help you feel more comfortable and confident.

1. Familiarize Yourself with the Interface

When you first open Excel, it can be overwhelming to see the grid of cells, multiple tabs, and a host of unfamiliar buttons. Take a few minutes to explore the interface and understand where things are.

• Ribbon: The toolbar at the top of the screen is called the Ribbon, and it’s divided into tabs like “Home,” “Insert,” and “Formulas.” Each tab contains related commands and tools.
• Worksheet: The grid of cells is your worksheet. Rows are numbered, and columns are lettered. You can work with multiple worksheets in one file, which Excel calls a “Workbook.”

Understanding these basics will help you navigate Excel more easily.

2. Learn Keyboard Shortcuts

Excel is packed with keyboard shortcuts that can save you time and effort. Learning just a few key shortcuts can make a significant difference. Here are some basic ones to get started:

• Ctrl + C: Copy
• Ctrl + V: Paste
• Ctrl + Z: Undo
• Ctrl + S: Save
• Ctrl + F: Find
• Ctrl + Shift + L: Toggle filters on and off

Memorizing these shortcuts will help you work more efficiently and reduce the amount of time spent searching for commands in the Ribbon.

3. Understand Basic Formulas

Formulas are where Excel truly shines, and they don’t need to be as complicated as they sound. Understanding a few simple formulas will allow you to perform quick calculations and manipulations of data.

• SUM: =SUM(A1:A10) adds the values in cells A1 through A10.
• AVERAGE: =AVERAGE(B1:B5) calculates the average of the values in B1 through B5.
• COUNT: =COUNT(C1:C10) counts the number of cells in C1 to C10 that contain numbers.
• IF: =IF(D1>100, "Pass", "Fail") checks if the value in D1 is greater than 100, returning “Pass” if true and “Fail” if false.

Start small and gradually explore more complex formulas as you grow more confident.

4. Use AutoFill to Save Time

AutoFill is a handy feature that can fill in a series of values based on a pattern you establish. This is especially useful for filling in dates, numbers, or formulas across rows or columns.

To use AutoFill:

1. Enter the starting value of the sequence.
2. Select the cell with the value and hover over the bottom-right corner until a small square (the fill handle) appears.
3. Drag the fill handle across the cells you want to fill.

Excel will automatically detect the pattern and fill in the remaining cells accordingly.

5. Master Data Sorting and Filtering

Sorting and filtering data are essential skills in Excel, especially when working with large datasets. Sorting allows you to reorder your data based on specific criteria, while filtering enables you to hide or show rows that meet certain conditions.

• Sort: Highlight the data you want to sort, then go to the “Data” tab and select “Sort.” You can choose to sort by one or multiple columns in ascending or descending order.
• Filter: Select your data and then click the “Filter” button in the “Data” tab. Small drop-down arrows will appear in each column header, allowing you to filter the data based on specific criteria.

Sorting and filtering make it much easier to analyse and organize large datasets.

6. Make Use of Conditional Formatting

Conditional formatting is a feature that changes the appearance of cells based on certain conditions. For instance, you can highlight cells that contain values greater than a certain number, or automatically colour-code rows based on specific criteria. This can make it much easier to spot trends, outliers, or important data points.

To apply conditional formatting:

1. Select the cells you want to format.
2. Go to the “Home” tab, click “Conditional Formatting,” and choose from the pre-set options, or create your own rule.

This feature can be especially useful when dealing with large amounts of data that you want to visually differentiate.

7. Create Charts to Visualize Data

Excel’s ability to create charts is one of its standout features. Charts can help you visualize your data, making it easier to interpret trends, comparisons, and patterns. Even if you’re not familiar with how to create complex charts, starting with simple ones like bar graphs, line graphs, or pie charts can be incredibly helpful.

To create a chart:

1. Select the data you want to include in the chart.
2. Go to the “Insert” tab and choose the chart type that best suits your data.

Experiment with different chart types to find the one that most effectively communicates your information.

8. Lock Cells to Prevent Errors

When working with formulas, you may want to lock certain cells so that they don’t change when copied to other parts of your worksheet. This is done by using the dollar sign ($) in your formula to create an absolute reference.

For example:

• =A1 + B1 will change to =A2 + B2 when copied to the next row.
• =$A$1 + B1 will keep A1 constant, while B1 will change to B2.

This can prevent errors, especially when working with large datasets and complex formulas.

9. Learn to Use PivotTables

A PivotTable is a powerful feature in Excel that allows you to summarise, analyse, and explore your data. It may sound advanced, but once you understand the basics, it becomes a valuable tool for working with large amounts of information.

To create a PivotTable:

1. Select your data and go to the “Insert” tab.
2. Click “PivotTable” and follow the prompts to create a table where you can drag and drop fields to analyse your data.

PivotTables can seem intimidating at first, but they are one of the most efficient ways to summarise large datasets and extract meaningful insights.

10. Save Your Work Regularly and Back It Up

One of the most frustrating experiences is losing hours of work due to a technical issue. 

Excel does have an AutoSave feature, but it’s always a good habit to manually save your work frequently. Additionally, back up your files in multiple locations, such as an external hard drive or a cloud service, to ensure you don’t lose important data.

To save manually, press Ctrl + S, or click the save icon in the upper left-hand corner. You can also use cloud services like OneDrive or Google Drive to keep an extra copy of your work safely stored online.

Excel doesn’t have to be daunting for beginners. 

By taking the time to familiarize yourself with the interface, learn some basic formulas, and take advantage of features like AutoFill, sorting, and charts, you’ll quickly find that Excel is more accessible than it first appears. 

The tips outlined here are just the beginning—once you’ve mastered the basics, you’ll discover even more ways Excel can save you time and make your data work for you.

Remember, no one becomes an Excel expert overnight, so take your time, practise, and don’t be afraid to explore new features. 

With patience and persistence, you’ll soon be using Excel with confidence and efficiency.