#ExcelGeek

[charlotteharrington01]

Master Microsoft Excel: Tips, Shortcut Keys & Functions

Are you spending countless hours clicking through Excel menus just to clean up data or format your spreadsheets? Let’s change that. Whether you’re a student, a finance professional, or an entrepreneur managing inventory, Microsoft Excel Tips can make your life a lot easier.

By mastering Excel shortcut keys, you can save time, reduce errors, and boost productivity no more mindless clicking or hunting through tabs. Ready to power up your workflow? Let’s dive in.

Why Excel Still Reigns in Data Management

In today’s fast-paced digital economy, Excel is no longer just a spreadsheet tool—it’s a data powerhouse. From automating repetitive tasks to visualizing trends with Pivot Tables, Excel is deeply embedded in sectors like finance, education, healthcare, and logistics.

With seamless cloud integration via Microsoft 365 and OneDrive, Excel allows for collaborative work across continents. Whether you're managing budgets in Nairobi or analyzing sales in New York, Excel keeps your data clean, organized, and shareable in real-time.

Want to gain a deeper understanding? Try the Essentials Of MS Excel - Formulas And Functions free course by UniAthena to start building your data-savvy foundation.

Time-Saving Excel Workbook Shortcut Keys

Here are must-know Excel shortcut keys that can save hours each week:

Ctrl + N: Create a new workbook

Ctrl + O: Open an existing workbook

Ctrl + S: Save your file instantly

Ctrl + Page Up / Page Down: Quickly navigate between worksheet tabs

For a complete mastery of workbooks, we recommend Mastering Excel Spreadsheet & Workbook - Formulas And Functions, a free course available through UniAthena’s online short courses.

Essential Excel Shortcut Keys for Cell Formatting

Formatting is more than making data look pretty—it’s about making it readable. Here are some top shortcut keys for Excel formatting:

Ctrl + 1: Open Format Cells dialog box

Ctrl + B: Bold

Ctrl + Shift + $: Apply currency format

Ctrl + Shift + %: Apply percentage format

Alt + H + O + I: Auto-fit column width

These simple keystrokes can make your spreadsheets look polished and professional in seconds.

Advanced Excel Shortcut Commands You Need to Know

Ready to go beyond the basics? These advanced Excel commands can supercharge your productivity:

Ctrl + Shift + L: Toggle filters on/off

Alt + =: AutoSum selected cells

F4: Repeat last action (super useful when formatting)

Ctrl + Shift + "+": Insert new cells, rows, or columns instantly

Want to move from intermediate to expert? Check out UniAthena’s Essentials Of MS Excel - Formulas And Functions free course and get hands-on with advanced formulas and data manipulation tricks.

Must-Know Shortcut Keys for Pivot Tables

Pivot Tables are the backbone of advanced data analysis in Excel. These shortcut keys make working with them faster:

Alt + N + V: Open PivotTable Wizard

Alt + J + T + T: Refresh the PivotTable to update with the latest data

Ctrl + –: Remove selected fields

Alt + Shift + Right Arrow: Expand grouped rows or columns in your data

Alt + Shift + Left Arrow: Collapse grouped data

If you're serious about becoming a data pro, these shortcuts are non-negotiable.

5 Game-Changing Excel Functions for 2025

These latest Excel functions help you go beyond manual effort and toward intelligent automation:

1. GROUPBY()

Group data dynamically, just like a Pivot Table, but in formula form. Great for dashboards!

2. PIVOTBY()

Mix Pivot logic with formulas. Analyze rows and columns in one go.

3. PERCENTOF()

Simplifies percentage calculations—no more manual math.

4. BYCOL()

Apply operations across columns (e.g., max, min, average) with one formula.

5. BYROW()

Process row-level data in bulk. Perfect for performance or trend analysis.

Want hands-on practice with these functions? Sign up for UniAthena’s online short courses and explore Excel’s newest features, absolutely free.

Excel :  Boosting Careers Through Digital Skills

In rapidly digitizing economy, Excel proficiency is more valuable than ever. From data entry roles in Nairobi to accounting jobs in Mombasa, knowing Excel can open doors to better employment, higher salaries, and even remote international gigs.

Whether you're a university student, a job seeker, or a small business owner, enrolling in a Diploma in Microsoft Excel can be a game-changer. The good news? You don’t need to break the bank. UniAthena offers free, flexible Excel training accessible from anywhere with an internet connection.

Take the first step toward digital fluency and explore UniAthena’s free Excel courses tailored for African professionals.

Conclusion

Why work harder when you can work smarter? Mastering Excel shortcut keys and learning powerful new functions can save time and skyrocket your productivity. Whether you're handling reports, analyzing data, or collaborating with a team, Excel remains one of the most critical tools in your professional toolkit.

Don’t just scratch the surface, unlock the full potential of Microsoft Excel through free courses like the Essentials Of MS Excel - Formulas And Functions, or go for a Diploma in Microsoft Excel to earn a recognized credential.

With UniAthena’s online short courses, you can upskill from anywhere—no cost, no catch.

Bonus Tips for Excel Beginners

Begin by learning universal shortcuts like Ctrl+C (Copy), Ctrl+V (Paste), Ctrl+Z (Undo), and Ctrl+F (Find).

The A to Z of Excel shortcut keys will cover 80% of your daily Excel tasks—focus on learning those first.

Many shortcuts are consistent across Microsoft Office, making it easier to switch between Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.

Ready to Level Up Your Excel Game?

Check out UniAthena’s free Excel courses and take control of your data today.

[bpaeducators]

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[peterhill75]

Planning (Pt II) - Micro Cycles

Season planner PT II - Microcycles #swimplanning #seasonplanner New Blogpost #swimcoachhill #waterwedoing

A couple of posts ago I gave an overview of how I go about putting together a season training plan.

There are typically three types of cycles: A macrocycle generally refers to your annual plan but can be as long as four years. A mesocycle refers to a particular training block within that and can last anywhere from 3-8 weeks. A microcycle refers to the smallest unit within a mesocycle; usually…

[peterhill75]

Race Analysis

Just because we dont have a spare 10k lying around doesnt mean we cant provide detail for our athletes. #clubcoaches #swimming #raceanalysis

So when it comes to being the coach of most swimming clubs, we are faced with the constant balancing of our finances.

We don’t all have a spare 10k lying around.

Does that mean we cant provide quality services?

The purpose if these posts (and the youtube series WATER we doing?) is to show that all we gotta do is the simple thing to the very best of our abilities. If we spend a little…

[peterhill75]

I think i may be a geek

Trust the process #blogpost #coachlife #coaching #swimcoach

At various points over this season (and others) I have had my process questioned by others, questioned myself, and generally doubted myself numerous times.

I have always had the outlook that you cannot evaluate a program (or indeed anything) without seeing it to its conclusion first.

As coaches we rarely take the credit we deserve. We need to learn to accept our victories, learn from our…