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Tip of the Week: Excel Tips That Work

USA Computer Services Blog How To Tip of the Week

Torrey Browne

Wednesday, June 12, 2019

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Microsoft Excel has a ton of functionality, but how much of it are you actually utilizing? This week’s tip will help you take full advantage of keyboard shortcuts, so you can leverage the solution to the best of your ability.

Align
The most basic Excel formatting you can take advantage of is aligning the values in the cells to the left, right, or center. Here are the keyboard shortcuts for each:

To center the value within the cell, press Alt+H+A+C.
To align the value within the cell to the left, press Alt+H+A+L.
To align the value within the cell to the right, press Alt+H+A+R.

Specific Formatting
Your spreadsheet contents might require specific formatting so their meaning can be effectively conveyed. To assign this formatting, try out the following keyboard shortcuts:

To return your value to general formatting, press Ctrl+Shift+~.
To indicate that a value refers to currency, press Ctrl+Shift+$.
To format a value as a percentage, press Ctrl+Shift+%.
To properly format a date, press Ctrl+Shift+#.
To format a value in scientific terms, press Ctrl+Shift+^.
To ensure that a number is properly formatted, press Ctrl+Shift+!.
To properly format time, press Ctrl+Shift+@.

Applying Borders
Borders are practically necessary when you’re using a spreadsheet, as they can mean more distinction between values. Here are some shortcuts to try for your cell borders:

To cut to the chase and apply a border to all of a cell’s edges, press Ctrl+Shift+A.
To only add a borderline to the right edge of a cell, press Alt+R.
To add a border to the left edge of a cell, press Alt+L.
To put a border on the top edge of a cell, press Alt+T.
To apply a border to the bottom edge of a cell, press Alt+B.
To easily remove the borders from a cell, press Ctrl+Shift+_.

Appearance
If you thought the previous shortcuts were basic, get a load of these ones. They are the same shortcuts you know and love from various other Microsoft applications.

To have your data appear in a bold font, press Ctrl+B.
To type in italics, press Ctrl+I.
To underline the contents of a cell, press Ctrl+U.
To strikethrough the contents of a cell, press Ctrl+S.

We hope that you’ll put this list to good use. You could even print it out so that it’s more accessible. Why not distribute it to the employees in your office while you’re at it?

Do you have any suggestions for tips you want to see covered in future articles? Leave them in the comments below and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss a beat.

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About the author

Torrey Browne

Torrey M. Browne is the Founder and CEO of USA Computer Services who set out on a mission to create customized solutions for small to medium sized business that not only saved them money, but increased productivity and profitability through the better use of technology they have already purchased but are not using to its full potential.

He quickly found that many "IT Service Providers" just simply did not have their clients' best interest in mind but instead were trying to line their pockets with money instead. At USA Computer Services, our clients always come first, in fact, it's backed up by a 100% satisfaction guarantee*.

*THERE IS NO SMALL PRINT IN THIS GUARANTEE!!!!!

If you're not happy with the quality or level of IT support you are currently receiving, give us a call at 704-665-1619, email me directly or fill out any form on our website for more information. We have tons of free educational information on our website for you to download, and you'll never be hassled by a pushy salesman, that I'll guarantee you as well.

Torrey M. Browne

President & CEO

USA Computer Services, LLC

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