Microsoft Excel tips and tricks for accountants

TOPICS

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.

September 8, 2020

Calculating depreciation using the SLN function

When teaching depreciation in Introduction to Accounting, faculty always cover a variety of different depreciation methods, including straight-line depreciation. Next time you teach this topic, build your students’ Excel skills by showing them how to use the straight-line (SLN) function in Excel.

September 1, 2020

Microsoft Excel: Quickly bring blank cells to your attention

An easy way to bring attention to blank cells is to have them appear as a different color than the other cells on the worksheet.

September 1, 2020

Microsoft Excel: Record macros to quickly perform routine tasks

If you have simple tasks that you need to perform in Excel often, you can actually “teach” Excel to do them for you by recording a macro.

August 11, 2020

Use conditional formatting in Excel to visualize letter grades

Highlight different letter grades with different colors so you can see at a glance how your students performed.

August 1, 2020

Obtain a Distinct Count

How to obtain a Distinct Count in Excel using a basic PivotTable.

August 1, 2020

Adding bullet points to an Excel spreadsheet

Kelly L. Williams, CPA, Ph.D., explains how to insert bullets into an Excel spreadsheet.

FROM THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

Flip out with the latest Tech Q&A

The September Technology Q&A column shows how to create dynamic to-do lists with Excel's checkboxes and also how to set up multifactor authentication texts that don't rely on phones. Flip through both items and view a video walkthrough in our digital format.