Microsoft Excel is a tool used widely in modern business, but the software can be quite daunting for beginners. And if you make an error, the consequences could be devastating. But don’t sweat it, we have a few tips to help you get through that spreadsheet a lot faster.

Tip 1: Ctrl + Shift + $

Ever desperately needed to format raw data, fast? Do this.

Simply press Ctrl + Shift + $. This shortcut turns the number format into currency, with commas at the thousands and two decimal places.

Tip 2: Crtl + Shift + !

This will automatically format the numbers with two decimal places and commas.

Tip 3: Ctrl + Shift + %

This will format the data into percent.

Tip 4: Ctrl + Shift + : (colon)

This function will post the current time into a cell.

Also Ctrl + ; (semicolon) will post the current date into a cell like this.

Tip 5: Few basic functions which are used to edit text

=LEFT(B2,12) outputs the 12 leftmost characters from the string in box B2.

=RIGHT(B2,19) outputs the 19 rightmost characters from the string in box B2.

=LEN(B2) spits out the number of characters in B2

Tip 5: VLOOKUP

Helps you find specific data from a long list, in minutes.

First type in “John McCain” into the first term.

Next, select the array that you are interested in, in this case A4:C104.

The “2” in the third term says to return the answer in the second column of the selected array.

“False” tells VLOOKUP that it doesn’t need to be an exact match. This is key if the list is unsorted.

Tip 6:

The rand() function generates a pseudorandom number between Zero and One. This is excellent at generating simulations.

And if you want to fill out a row of formuli, and want to fill it all the way down, double clcik on the square in the bottom right corner of the highlighted section.

[Source: Business Insider]