Microsoft Excel tips and tricks for accountants

TOPICS

April 13, 2021

See descriptive statistics in Excel

Learn how to use Excel to quickly calculate basic descriptive statistics for a dataset, including mean, standard deviation, minimums, and maximums.

March 9, 2021

Add the Data Analysis ToolPak to Excel

Excel’s Data Analysis ToolPak allows you to perform many advanced data analytics functions. Here’s how to enable it.

February 9, 2021

Various ways to display formulas in Excel

There are a number of different ways that you can display formulas in Excel. This can be useful when investigating why a certain formula isn’t working correctly or when grading your students’ worksheets to ensure they are using formulas correctly.

February 1, 2021

Discover more about your data with Ideas

Excel Ideas will analyze your dataset and give you recommendations, or ideas, for charts, PivotTables, and PivotCharts that work with your
dataset.

February 1, 2021

Searching within Excel comments

You can search for text that is contained within comments, hidden or unhidden, of an Excel spreadsheet.

February 1, 2021

A better way to save

You can specify a default location to save your Excel workbooks. You can also “pin” other locations so that they are quickly accessible every time you save.

January 12, 2021

Spend less time on repetitive tasks with Excel macros

Make mundane tasks easier by harnessing the power of automation.

January 1, 2021

Create your own Excel template

You can make templates in Excel for all sorts of preferred “defaults.”

December 8, 2020

Use VLOOKUP to help manage your gradebook

VLOOKUP is a formula that allows you to “look up” certain data and retrieve it into another table, by row. This function can be especially useful when you have a well-structured table with information organized by rows (such as a gradebook)!

December 1, 2020

Data preparation for CPAs: Extract, transform, and load

ETL tools can help accountants streamline the process of preparing data for analysis and aid in better decision-making.

November 10, 2020

Use the Quick Access Toolbar to increase your efficiency in Excel

Try this tip and have your most-used functions right at your fingertips.

November 1, 2020

Excel 365 has X-cellent upgrade over VLOOKUP

Kelly L. Williams, CPA, Ph.D., explains how to use XLOOKUP, a new function for Excel 365 users that essentially replaces VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP.

October 1, 2020

Using LEFT, MID, RIGHT to dissect Excel cells

It is very easy to dissect the contents of a cell in Excel using the functions LEFT, MID, and RIGHT. All three functions are easy to learn.

October 1, 2020

Answering 7 questions about remote work

Months after COVID-19 forced most accountants to work remotely, we answer questions on how to optimize working conditions at home.

October 1, 2020

Using the Excel Camera tool

You can use Excel’s Camera tool to add images of Excel tables, charts, ranges, and single cells to your dashboard.

FROM THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

AI risks CPAs should know

Are you ready for the AI revolution in accounting? This JofA Technology Q&A article explores the top risks CPAs face—from hallucinations to deepfakes—and ways to mitigate them.