I keep track of my tasks in an Excel file, where I have macros that export the completed data to Access for invoicing.
I check the list every morning, and at the end of the day, but not very often throughout the day. So, while I might have an excellent plan for the day, it can [...]

Filed under: Excel, Time Management | 5 Comments »

As you work in Excel, the files that you’ve used most recently appear at the bottom of the File menu. The default number of files that appear is 4, and you can increase this to 9, in the Tools>Options dialog box, on the General tab.

If you’d like more than 9 entries, and some control of [...]

Filed under: Excel, File Management, Toolbars | 2 Comments »

Do you know that just like us, paper has a good side, and a not-so-good side? And the good side is better for printing. Paper grain affects printing too, but we’ll save that excitement for another day. (Yes, I grew up in a paper mill town, thanks for asking.)
How do you figure out which is [...]

Filed under: Hardware, Publications | No Comments »

Yesterday I posted a tip for adding the Refresh All button to the PivotTable toolbar, so you can quickly update all the pivot tables and queries in a workbook. In the comments, Jan Karel Pieterse mentioned that he can press Ctrl+Shift, or hold the Alt key, then drag toolbar buttons to a different toolbar. I [...]

Filed under: Excel, Productivity, Toolbars | 18 Comments »

In one of the Excel newsgroups last week, someone asked how they could update several pivot tables at the same time. They were tired of selecting each pivot table separately, and clicking the Refresh button.
In an Excel workbook you can refresh all the pivot tables and queries if you click the Refresh All button. That [...]

Filed under: Excel, Pivot Table, Toolbars | 9 Comments »

The big excitement in Twitter this week is that AC/DC released an ASCII art video that runs within Excel. And what band could be more appropriately named for this type of work? I guess SUM 41 could do an Excel video too. Any others?
Anyway, here are some of the interesting Twitters from this week, giving [...]

Filed under: Excel | No Comments »

When you’re searching in Google, by default it shows you 10 results per page. Sometimes you’re lucky and the item you’re looking for is right there on the first page. Other times you’re not so lucky, and have to look through a few pages before you find your answer.
To cut down on the page views, [...]

Filed under: Browsers, Keyboard Shortcuts | 2 Comments »

It’s been several years (decades?) since I studied Latin, so I can’t translate any of this, but when designers need a block of text they often use Lorem Ipsum. This focuses attention on the design, rather than the text.

You could use this when setting up a web layout or Word template, to show a client [...]

Filed under: Web Design, Word | 2 Comments »

Outlook has an Out of Office Assistant that will notify people that you’re not in the office, but unfortunately it’s only available if you’re using Exchange Server. What about me? I don’t have Exchange Server, and like to leave my office occasionally.
If I’ll be out of the office for more than a day or two, [...]

Filed under: Customer Service, Outlook | 2 Comments »

When you insert a comment in Word or Excel your user name is shown in bold at the top of the comment. In Word, the comment is marked by your initials, and in Excel it’s marked by a red triangle in the top right corner of the cell.

Perhaps your name has changed, or you’ve inherited [...]

Filed under: Excel, Word | No Comments »