Excel Tutorials

Below is a list of the Microsoft Excel tutorials that we've written. Many include step by step instructions. In some cases, there may be sample spreadsheets or video screencasts.

I've also been updating these articles to reflect the latest Excel version. Presently, I'm using Microsoft Office 365. However, you may see some tutorials that reflect older versions. All the screen snaps have been done on a Windows computer and reflect those commands.

If you don't have Microsoft Excel, there are three options:

Get an Office 365 (Subscription service)
Buy Microsoft Office 2019 (One time purchase)
Use the free version in your browser

The free version does require you to have a Microsoft account. As you might expect of a free product, there are limitations. For example, you can open a workbook that has macros, but you won't be able to edit them.

You can read more about the different options on the Microsoft site.

Microsoft also has an Excel Glossary that you can use.

Excel sheet with added column indicating word count

Finding Word Count in Excel

Recently, I attended an industry summit that had an expert’s panel where people provided their best tips. One Excel tip involved filtering cells with a certain number of words. A nice tip, but it left some attendees wondering where is Excel’s word count function. The program doesn’t have this feature, but you can get the answer by creating an Excel formula to count words. (Includes sample Excel worksheet and formula)
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Preserving Excel Leading Zeros

Excel is a very powerful program, but sometimes it doesn’t act the way we wish. A case in point is importing a CSV file with zip codes. If you’re not careful how you open your file and apply different formats, you could be in for some surprises. The same problem can happen with part or order numbers.
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Function Arguments dialog with cell C2 in Text field.

How to Count Characters in Excel

Excel has a built-in function called LEN that counts the number of characters in a cell. This can be very useful for counting characters and finding problem records.
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Convert Word Docs to Excel Part 2

In our earlier article we explained there were several ways to convert Microsoft Word data such as address listings to Microsoft Excel. This next method starts by converting your text to a table. You'll probably find this method easier.
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Converting Word Docs to Excel

One item I've learned from using computers is that there is usually more than one way to solve a problem. This week two people approached me with a similar problem. They were trying to get a simple, but long address list from Microsoft Word into Microsoft Excel. One tried to use macros and the other resorted to cut and paste. In each case, I thought a simpler solution involved Word's Search and Replace feature. Here's Part 1 of a two part tutorial.
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How to Limit Mistakes with Excel Dependent Lists

This Excel tutorial shows you how to build a worksheet using dependent lists. In other words, the selection you make from one list defines the options on the next list. For example, if you select California from one list, the next list filters your selection to just California agents. Includes sample Excel worksheet.
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The Hidden Benefits of Excel Tables

Yogi Berra once said, "You can observe a lot by just watching". In this case, I was watching someone work with Excel doing various things to make the spreadsheet more usable. I suggested to my co-worker that he could reduce steps by creating an Excel Table. And no, I'm not talking about pivot tables but something much simpler and equally powerful.
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Word Mail Merge From Excel

This tutorial shows how to use an input file from Microsoft Excel as the data source to do a mail merge in Microsoft Word.
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Assigning a Range Name in Excel

Excel has a the ability to set a range of cells and give them a name. You may have seen this when you print a certain area by highlighting the columns and rows. However, that same feature can be used in other areas such formulas. It makes interpreting your worksheet much easier.
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Learn the Benefits of an Excel Custom List

Microsoft Excel has some nice features that can save repetitive typing. One that people are familiar with is using a fill series for continuous cells. These are often common values or series such as numbers, dates and months. This feature is called an Excel Custom List and can be used for a creating repetitive data series that you might use in the office or at home.
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