5 Ways To Improve And Master Your Advanced Excel Skills

Having worked as a data analyst in a research company that involved handling a large amount of data, I struggled with data errors and inaccuracy and this took most of my time rectifying them. Despite my five-year experience I still faced challenges in using advanced Excel.

Talking to Excel expert Timothy, he advised me to enroll in the advanced Microsoft excel course which helped me understand more features that I was not utilizing before. I can now manage to perform complex analyses of data in a very short time hence accomplishing more in less time.

Most people know the power Excel can wield, especially when used properly. But fewer people know how to make the most of Advanced Excel. If you are looking for a guide on how to improve and master your Microsoft Excel skills, you have landed on the right page.

1. Master the Shortcuts

You can save precious time by learning some keyboard shortcuts. Even though most computer and Internet users today cannot imagine navigating online without a mouse or at least a touchpad, you can save a great deal of time by using only the keyboard.

You are probably already familiar with using the functions of Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V to copy and paste. Other useful shortcuts that can come in handy include; Ctrl+Z, to undo the last action, Ctrl+PgUp to switch between worksheet tabs, Ctrl+A for selecting the entire worksheet, Ctrl+F to find items, and Ctrl+K to insert hyperlinks.

2. Result Filtering

MS Excel allows you to filter the huge data that you need to process according to your requirements. For example, you can filter the data according to the age of a person.

To access the auto filtering feature of MS Excel go to Data > Filter > AutoFilter and click on one of the small boxes to filter the results according to your requirements.

3. Import Data from a Website

“Learning how to import data is an essential function that can greatly speed up your workflow,” says Timothy.

If you come across a website with tons of data that you find useful for one of your projects, you can convert it into a worksheet by clicking File > Import External Data and click New Web Query. When you click this tab, a new window opens that displays your browser homepage with the URL of the page highlighted. Choose the webpage you want to display, then copy and paste the link into the Address box. Click OK and your data is imported into an Excel worksheet!

4. Autocorrect and Autofill

To increase your productivity, Advanced Excel provides features like AutoCorrect and AutoFill, so that you can type less and do more.

AutoCorrect corrects your mistakes like misspelled words and other typos automatically. You can enable this feature by selecting AutoCorrect in the Tools tab.

Similarly, AutoFill saves your time by automatically creating a numbered list when you are trying to create it manually. You can activate it by Edit > Fill > Series.

5. Learn how to master Excel formulas

One of the main ways I used to master Excel is to be accomplished at writing formulas. These are the muscles of Advanced Excel.

To begin, I learned some of the more commonly used functions. These include SUM, IF, VLOOKUP, COUNTIF, and CONCATENATE.

When I was comfortable writing formulas, I could do almost anything. I even used formulas within Conditional Formatting rules, charts and other Excel features to make them more powerful.

Wrap-Up

Improving and mastering your Advanced Excel skills will not only make your job easier but also boost you against the competition when you are applying for a job.

 Learn Advanced Microsoft Excel skills today and expand your analytics skillset to work more efficiently and take your career to another level.