Post covering sorting, filters, getting started with Excel, Excel functions, subtotals, PivotTables, and other Excel features.
Excel compare two or more text strings
Posted by Chris Menard on 04/20/2021
To compare two text strings in Excel, you can use the EXACT Function or you can use =A1=B1. The EXACT function checks for case sensitivity. Example "Chris" is not the same as "CHRIS" if you use the EXACT function. With =A1=B1, Chris would appear as the same.
Excel: Combining Unique and Sort functions
Posted by Chris Menard on 04/14/2021
The UNIQUE function in Excel is one of my favorite functions. Unique returns a list of unique values in a range. The SORT function in Excel sorts the contents of a range or array.
Year-Over-Year Growth - Excel PivotTable
Posted by Chris Menard on 03/11/2021
Year-Over-Year (YOY) growth compares one period, usually a quarter or a month, against the same period twelve months before. You can compare Q3 of 2021 against Q3 of 2020. Another example is comparing the month of September 2021 to September 2020.
Excel Charts - three methods for filtering Chart Data
Posted by Chris Menard on 02/26/2021
Filtering data in Excel charts is easy to do. The method you use should be based on the amount of data you have. In this video, I show three methods of filtering chart data. Method 1 is using Chart Filters. This is the easiest method.
Excel: Covert decimal hours Excel's hours & minutes (8.25 to 8:15)
Posted by Chris Menard on 02/17/2021
I'm frequently asked how do I change decimal hours to Excel's hour and minute format. A couple examples: 7.75 need to show as 7:45, and 30.25 needs to show as 30:15. The solution is to divide by 24 hours. The formula is hours/24.
Working with Time in Microsoft Excel | Time Functions and Conversion
Posted by Chris Menard on 02/05/2021
Do you need to add or subtract time in Excel? Some time calculations are easy, but depending on how the time is entered, you may need to use the TIME function or formula to add or subtract time. For example, if you have 9am in B2, and in cell C2, you have 3, for three hours, you can't add them with B2+C2 and get the correct answer without the TIME function.
Today Function in Excel
Posted by Chris Menard on 01/20/2021
The TODAY function is a date/time function that shows the current date based on your computer time. The TODAY function will update automatically.
Three tips for getting started with Excel Charts
Posted by Chris Menard on 01/08/2021
Charts in Microsoft Excel are easy. This short video shows three tips for creating charts. I'll cover two keyboard shortcuts for making charts, using Recommend Charts, and creating charts using Quick Analysis.
Tax Brackets Explained using Excel's XLOOKUP function
Posted by Chris Menard on 01/06/2021
Tax brackets show you the tax rate you will pay on each portion of your income. There are seven tax brackets. The United States has a progressive tax system based on your Taxable income, not Gross income or Net Income. Your income is taxed at different rates with a progressive tax system.