Tips & tricks

Alt+= : Auto-Sum Below a Column

Alt+=

Cursor below a column of numbers, Alt+equals — and SUM is done, range and all.

Double-Click the Fill Handle to Copy a Formula All the Way Down

You don't have to drag a formula across a thousand rows — double-clicking the little black square copies it down to the end of the adjacent data.

A Drop-Down List in a Cell: No More Typos

Data validation turns a cell into a menu of allowed values. Task statuses or categories can no longer be typed wrong.

Removing Duplicates in Three Clicks

Data → Remove Duplicates cleans up a list of contacts or line items — and tells you how many it deleted.

Today's Date in One Shortcut: Ctrl+;

Ctrl+;

Ctrl+semicolon inserts today's date as a fixed value — unlike the TODAY() function, it doesn't change.

A New Line Inside a Cell: Alt+Enter

Alt+Enter

Enter jumps to the next cell — Alt+Enter creates a line break inside the same one. No more broken layouts.

Freeze Panes: Keep Headers Visible Even at Row 500

View → Freeze Panes keeps the table header locked at the top no matter how far you scroll.

XLOOKUP: Lookups Without VLOOKUP's Weaknesses

The newer replacement for VLOOKUP searches in either direction, doesn't break when a column gets inserted, and has a built-in “not found” fallback.

Conditional Formatting: Let Colors Do the Talking

Duplicate values, overdue deadlines, or below-average results highlight themselves — you just define the rule.

Flash Fill: Excel Finishes the Pattern for You

Ctrl+E

Type one example into the next column (say, a name pulled from an email address) and Ctrl+E fills in the rest to match. No formulas.

Format as a Table: Filters, Banding, and Formulas for Free

Ctrl+T

Ctrl+T turns a range into a “smart” table — automatic filters, formatting for new rows, and readable formulas.

Block off calendar time for focused work

An empty calendar is an invitation to meetings. Block off your mornings for deep work before someone else does it for you.

F4 in Excel: Repeats Your Last Action and Locks a Reference

F4

One key, two superpowers — repeating your last action and toggling dollar signs in a formula.

Excel: Ctrl+Arrow Keys Jump to the Edge of Your Data

Ctrl+↓

Don't scroll through a sheet with thousands of rows. Ctrl+arrow jumps to the end of the block, and with Shift it selects as it goes.

The two-minute rule for your inbox

Anything that takes less than two minutes, do right when you read it. Longer things go to your task list — and archive the email.