How Microsoft Excel Fills in Series of Numbers, Dates, etc.

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How to Fill in Series of Numbers, Dates, or other built-in Series Items in Microsoft Excel

In Microsoft Excel, you can Use the fill handle to quickly fill cells in a range with a series of numbers or dates or with a built-in series for days, weekdays, months, or years. The following steps will enable fill such series into Excel cell:

1. Type in the starting value for the series in the first cell.
2. Type a value in the next cell to establish a pattern.
• For instance, if you want the series 1, 2, 3, 4, 5..., type 1 and 2 in the first two cells. If you want the series 2, 4, 6, 8..., type 2 and 4. If you want the series 2, 2, 2, 2..., you can leave the second cell blank.
3. Select the cells that contain the both starting values you have just typed.
4. Point the mouse to the lower-right corner of the selected cell(s) and drag the fill handle across the range that you want to fill.

5. To fill in increasing order, drag downwards or to the right. To fill in decreasing order, drag upwards or to the left.
• You can also specify the type of series by using the right mouse button to drag the fill handle over the range and then clicking the appropriate command on the shortcut menu. For instance, if the starting value is a date like JAN-2002, click Fill Months in order to have FEB-2002, MAR-2002, and so on; or click Fill Years in order to have JAN-2003, JAN-2004, and so on.
• If the selection contains numbers, you can control the type of series that you want to create. For instance, click Fill Series in order to have serial numbering in ascending order, or click Formatting Only in order to copy only the format of the selected cell(s).

Other examples of data that Microsoft Excel can automatically fill are shown in the table below: When you fill a series, the selections are extended as shown in the following table. Items separated by commas are in placed in individual adjacent cells.

Initial selection	Extended series
1, 2, 3	4, 5, 6,...
9:00	10:00, 11:00, 12:00,...
Mon	Tue, Wed, Thu,...>
Monday	Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday,...
Jan	Feb, Mar, Apr,...
Jan, Apr	Jul, Oct, Jan,...
Jan-99, Apr-99	Jul-99, Oct-99, Jan-00,...
15-Jan, 15-Apr	15-Jul, 15-Oct,...
1999, 2000	2001, 2002, 2003,...
1-Jan, 1-Mar	1-May, 1-Jul, 1-Sep,...
Qtr3 (or Q3 or Quarter3)	Qtr4, Qtr1, Qtr2,...
text1, textA	text2, textA, text3, textA,...
1st Period	2nd Period, 3rd Period,...
Product 1	Product 2, Product 3,...

Fill Data in Cells with Fill Handle

Use the Fill Handle to Fill Data

You can use the Fill command to fill data into worksheet cells. You can also have Excel automatically fill series of numbers, number and text combinations, dates, or time periods, based on a pattern that you establish. However, to quickly fill in several types of data series, you can select cells and drag the fill handle. The fill handle is the small black square that usually display when the mouse pointer is placed on at the lower-right corner of the cell-pointer.

Fill data into adjacent cells

1. Select the cell(s) that contain the data that you want to fill into adjacent cells.
2. Point the mouse to the lower-right corner of the selected cell(s). The mouse pointer changes to a small black cross.
3. Drag the fill handle (small black cross) across the cells that you want to fill.
4. After you drag the fill handle, the Auto Fill Options button appears so that you can choose how the selection is filled. For instance, you can choose to fill just cell formats by clicking Fill Formatting Only, or you can choose to fill just the contents of a cell by clicking Fill Without Formatting.

5. To quickly fill a blank cell with the contents of the cell above it; press CTRL+D, to fill to the right of that cell, press CTRL+R.
6. You can suppress AutoFill by holding down CTRL while you drag the fill handle of a selection of two or more cells. The selected values are then copied to the adjacent cells, and Excel does not extend a series.

NOTE that if you drag the fill handle up or to the left of a selection and stop in the selected cells without going past the first column or the top row in the selection, Excel deletes the data within the selection. You must drag the fill handle out of the selected area before releasing the mouse button.

Specifying Response to Invalid Data Entry

How to Specify a Response to Invalid Data Entry in Microsoft Excel

In my last post, I showed how to make data entry easier, or limit entries to certain items that you define and ensure the correct data is entered in Excel worksheet. Additionally, you can specify how you want Microsoft Office Excel to respond when invalid data is entered. Take these the following steps to create Response to Invalid Data Entry in Excel:

• First, you have to create a list of valid entries for the drop-down list, so type the entries in a single column or row without blank cell as can be seen in this picture below.

• You can sort the data in the order that you want it to appear in the drop-down list.
• If you want to use another worksheet, type the list on that worksheet, and then define a name for the list. (Click Defining Name Reference to read my post on that).
  1. Select the cell where you want the drop-down list.
  2. Click on the Data tab, in the Data Tools group, click Data Validation. The Data Validation dialog box will be displayed.
  3. Click the Settings tab.
  4. In the Allow box, click List.
  5. To specify the location of the list of valid entries, do one of the following:
  • If the list is in the current worksheet, enter a reference to your list in the Source box. For example, enter =Depts or =$C$5:$C$25.
  • If the list is on a different worksheet, enter the name that you defined for your list in the Source box.
  6. Make sure that the In-cell drop-down check box is selected.
  7. 2) Click the Error Alert tab, and make sure that the "Show error alert after invalid data" is entered check box is selected.
  8. 3) Select one of the following options for the Style box:
  • To display an information message that does not prevent entry of invalid data, click Information.
  • To display a warning message that does not prevent entry of invalid data, click Warning.
  • To prevent entry of invalid data, click Stop.
  9. Type the title and text for the message (up to 225 characters).
  10. Click Ok.

Creating Drop-Down List in Excel

Create a Drop-Down List from a range of cells

In Microsoft Excel, to make data entry easier, or to limit entries to certain items that you define and ensure the correct data is entered, you can create a drop-down list of valid entries that is compiled from cells elsewhere in the workbook. When you create a drop-down list for a cell, it displays an arrow in that cell. To enter information in the cell, click the arrow, and then click the entry that you want.

In this way you don't have to type the data again and again at every occurrence, you simply select it from the drop-down list as picking items from a list. The Data Validation command in the Data Tools group on the Data tab can also be used to achieve this.

• To create a list of valid entries for the drop-down list, type the entries in a single column or row without blank cell as can be seen in this picture below.

• You can sort the data in the order that you want it to appear in the drop-down list.
• If you want to use another worksheet, type the list on that worksheet, and then define a name for the list. (Click Defining Name Reference to read my post on that).
  1. Select the cell where you want the drop-down list.
  2. Click on the Data tab, in the Data Tools group, click Data Validation. The Data Validation dialog box will be displayed.
  3. Click the Settings tab.
  4. In the Allow box, click List.
  5. To specify the location of the list of valid entries, do one of the following:
  • If the list is in the current worksheet, enter a reference to your list in the Source box. For example, enter =Depts or =$C$5:$C$25.
  • If the list is on a different worksheet, enter the name that you defined for your list in the Source box.
  6. Make sure that the In-cell drop-down check box is selected.
  7. Click Ok.

Create a Calculated Column in Excel

How to Create a Calculated Column in Excel

One of the most beautiful things about Microsoft Excel is the ability to automatically perform calculation on data in tables. You can create a calculated column that uses a single formula that adjusts for each row, i.e. as you enter more data in the succeeding rows, the formula automatically extends to them without you having to enter the formula over and over again. You only need to enter a formula only once and don't need to use the Fill or Copy command. NOTE that this will only work in an Excel table not on range of data. To learn how to create a Table in Excel, read my earlier post on Creating Tables in Excel. Take the following steps to create Calculated Column:

1. Click a cell in a blank table column that you want to turn into a calculated column.
2. Type the formula that you want to use.
3. The formula that you typed is automatically filled into all cells of the column — above as well as below the active cell.

Insert a Table Row or Column

Select the Table and do one of the following:

• To insert one or more table rows, select one or more table rows above which you want to insert one or more blank table rows.
• If you select the last row, you can also insert a row above or below the selected row.
• To insert one or more table columns, select one or more table columns to the left of which you want to insert one or more blank table columns.
• If you select the last column, you can also insert a column to the left or to the right of the selected column.

1. On the Home tab, in the Cells group, click the arrow next to Insert.
2. Do one of the following:
   • To insert table rows, click Insert Table Rows Above.
   • To insert a table row below the last row, click Insert Table Row Below.
   • To insert table columns, click Insert Table Columns to the Left.
   • To insert a table column to the right of the last column, click Insert Table Column to the Right.
3. You can also right-click one or more table rows or table columns, point to Insert on the shortcut menu, and then select what you want to do from the list of options.

Delete Rows or Columns in a Table

1. Select one or more table rows or table columns that you want to delete.
2. On the Home tab, in the Cells group, click the arrow next to Delete, and then click Delete Table Rows or Delete Table Columns.

Delete a Row or Column

1. To delete a row or column, select the row or column you want to delete.
2. On the Home tab, in the Cells group, click Delete or press DELETE key on the keyboard.

Convert a Table to a Range of Data

1. Click anywhere in the table. This displays the Table Tools, adding the Design tab.
2. On the Design tab, in the Tools group, click Convert to Range.

You can also right-click the table, point to Table, and then click Convert to Range.

Delete a Table

1. On a worksheet, select a table.
2. Press DELETE on the keyboard.

 

How to Create Table in Excel

Creating a Table in Microsoft Excel

When you create a table in Microsoft Office Excel, you can manage and analyze the data in that table independently of data outside of the table. For example, you can filter table columns, add a row for totals, apply table formatting, and publish a table to a server that is running Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services 3.0.

When you don't need a table anymore, you can remove it by converting it back to a range or you can delete it.

To Create a Table take the following steps:

1. On a worksheet, select the range of empty cells or data that you want to make into a table.
2. On the Insert tab, in the Tables group, click Table.
3. If the selected range contains data that you want to display as table headers, select the 'My table has headers' check box.

Table headers display default names that you can change if you don't select the 'My table has headers' check box. After you create a table, the Table Tools become available, and a Design tab is displayed. You can use the tools on the Design tab to customize or edit the table. After you create a table, the Table Tools become available, and a Design tab is displayed. You can use the tools on the Design Tab to customize or edit the table.

 

Introduction to Microsoft Excel Tables

Microsoft Excel Tables

To make managing and analyzing a group of related data easier, you can turn a range of cells into a Microsoft Office Excel table (previously known as an Excel list in earlier versions). A table is a series of rows and columns that contains related data that is managed independently from the data in other rows and columns on the worksheet.

By default, every column in the table has filtering enabled in the header row so that you can filter or sort your table data quickly. You can add a total row, which is a special row in a list that provides a selection of aggregate functions useful for working with numerical data to your table that provides a drop-down list of aggregate functions for each total row cell. A sizing handle in the lower-right corner of the table allows you to drag the table to the size that you want just like Microsoft Office Word table.

To manage several groups of data, you can insert more than one table in the same worksheet. However, you cannot create a table in a shared workbook.

You can use the following features to manage table data:

Sorting and filtering. Filter drop-down lists are automatically added in the header row of a table. Then you can sort tables in various orders and options, or you can create a custom sort order. You can also filter tables to show only the data that meets the criteria you set. For more information on sorting and filtering data, see Data Sorting and Filtering in Section Two of this book.

Formatting table data. You can quickly format table data by applying a predefined or custom table style. You can also choose Quick Styles options to display a table with or without a header or a totals row, to apply row or column banding to make a table easier to read, or to distinguish between various columns in the table. For more information on how to format table data, see Formatting Worksheet in Section Five of this book.

Inserting and deleting table rows and columns. You can use one of several ways to add rows and columns to a table. You can quickly insert table rows and table columns anywhere that you want. You can as well delete rows and columns as needed. You can also quickly remove rows that contain duplicate data from a table.

Using a calculated column. To use a single formula that adjusts for each row in a table, you can create a calculated column. A calculated column automatically expands to include additional rows so that the formula is immediately extended to those rows.

Displaying and calculating table data totals. You can quickly total the data in a table by displaying a totals row at the end of the table and then using the functions that are provided in drop-down lists for each totals row cell. Exporting to a SharePoint list. You can export a table to a SharePoint list so that other people can view, edit, and update the table data.

How to Enter the same Data into Several Cells at Once

Enter the same Data into Several Cells at Once

This procedure enables you to automate data entering into cells into Microsoft Excel cells and speed up your work

1. Select the cells into which you want to enter the same data. The cells do not have to be adjacent.
2. In the active cell, type the data, and then press CTRL+ENTER.
3. You can also enter the same data into several cells by using the fill handle to automatically fill data in worksheet cells. See details below in this section for more information.

Enter the same data on Other Worksheets

If you already entered data on one worksheet, you can quickly fill this data into corresponding cells on other worksheets.

1. Click the tab of the worksheet that contains the data. Then hold down CTRL while you click the tabs of other worksheets into which you want to fill the data.
2. In the source worksheet, select the cells that contain the data that you entered.

3. On the Home tab, in the Editing group, click Fill, and then click Across Worksheets.

How to Enter Numbers as Texts in Microsoft Excel

You might need to enter numbers that are not required for calculation, for instance phone numbers, employee IDs, customer IDs, Registration numbers, etc. When these numbers are has leading zeros or preceded by zero, Excel would remove the leading zeros after the texts have been entered. In order to retain the leading zeros, precede the numbers with an apostrophe ( ' ) and such numbers will be stored as texts and cannot be calculated by Excel.

How to Enter Data in Excel Worksheet

Enter data manually in worksheet cells

You can enter numbers (with or without fixed decimal points), text, dates, or times in one cell, in several cells at once, or on more than one worksheet. However, when a worksheet is protected by you or someone else to prevent data from being changed accidentally, you may be able to select cells to view the data, but you won't be able to type information in cells that are locked. In most cases, a protected worksheet should not be unprotected unless you have permission to do so from the person who created it.

To Enter numbers or text

1. On the worksheet, click a cell.
2. Type the numbers or text that you want, and then press ENTER or TAB.
3. To start entering data on a new line within a cell, enter a line break by pressing ALT+ENTER.

By default, pressing ENTER moves the selection down one cell, and pressing TAB moves the selection one cell to the right. You cannot change the direction of movement for the TAB key, but you can specify a different direction for the ENTER key.

How to Change the Direction for the ENTER key

1. Click the MS Office Button or File, and then click Excel Options.
2. In the Advanced category, under Edit, select the After pressing Enter, move selection check box.
3. Then click the direction that you want in the Direction box.
4. Click Ok.

NOTE: A cell may display ##### when it contains data that has a number format that is wider than the column width, or the contents may simply be truncated. To see all text, you must increase the width of the column. You can display multiple lines of text inside a cell by wrapping the text. (more details on formatting worksheet with be in subsequent posts). In order to expand the width of column to accommodate the longest entry; use the mouse to double-click the right border of the column heading.

How to Enter Dates or Times In Microsoft Excel

On the worksheet, click a cell, type a date or time as follows:

1. For a date, use a forward slash or a hyphen to separate the parts of a date; for example, type 9/5/2002 or 5-Sep-2002.
2. To enter the current date, press CTRL+; (CTRL+semicolon).
3. For a time that is based on the 12-hour clock, type a space, and then type a or p after the time; for example, 9:00 p. Otherwise, Excel enters the time as AM.
4. To enter the current time, press CTRL+SHIFT+; (CTRL+SHIFT+semicolon).
5. To enter a date or time that stays current when you reopen a worksheet, you can use the TODAY and NOW functions for instance type =Today() or type =Now() and press ENTER.
6. If you want to use the default date or time format, click the cell that contains the date or time, and then press CTRL+SHIFT+# or CTRL+SHIFT+@.

How Do I Enter Data into a Cell?

Entering Data into a Cell

You can enter numbers, text, dates, times or formula in a cell, in several cells at once, or on more than one worksheet. To work effectively in Excel, you must be able to move around the workbook. The various ways to move around a worksheet has been treated above in this section.

To enter data into a cell, simply place the cell pointer on the desired cell and type the data. Microsoft Excel has various ways of assisting users to enter data into worksheet; some of such ways are treated in the succeeding posts.

How to Automatically Repeat Items Already Entered in the Column.

If the first few characters that you type in a cell match an existing entry in that column, Excel automatically enters the remaining characters for you. However, only those entries that contain text or a combination of text and numbers that Excel automatically completes. Entries that contain only numbers, dates, or times are not automatically completed.

Do one of the following:

1. To accept a proposed entry, press ENTER key. The completed entry exactly matches the pattern of uppercase and lowercase letters of the existing entry.
2. To replace the automatically entered characters, continue typing.
3. To delete the automatically entered characters, press BACKSPACE.

If you don't want entries that you type to be completed automatically, you can turn off this option by taking the following steps:

1. Click the Microsoft Office Button File menu (depending on the Office version you have), and then click Excel Options.
2. Click Advanced, and then under Editing options, clear or select the Enable AutoComplete for cell values check box to turn automatic completion of cell values on or off.

NOTE: Microsoft Excel bases the list of potential AutoComplete entries on the column that contains the active cell. Entries that are repeated within a row are not automatically completed.

Views in Microsoft Excel

Various Views in Microsoft Excel

Before you print a Microsoft Office Excel worksheet that contains large amounts of data or charts, you can quickly fine-tune it in the new Page Layout view to achieve professional-looking results. In this view, you can change the layout and format of data the way that you can in Normal view. But you can also use the rulers to measure the width and height of the data, change the page orientation, add or change page headers and footers, set margins for printing, and hide or display row and column headers.

Page Layout view is useful to get your data ready for printing. Page breaks are more easily adjusted in Page Break Preview view. For an exact preview of how the data will be printed, you can preview the worksheet pages in Print Preview view.

Select scaling options in Normal View

1. Click the worksheet that you want to change its view.
2. Click on the View tab, in the Workbook Views group, click Page Layout View or Page Break Preview or Full Screen.

You can also click any of these views on the status bar.

Freeze or Lock Rows and Columns

How Do I Freeze or Lock Rows and Columns in Excel?

You can view two areas of a worksheet and lock rows or columns in one area by freezing or splitting panes. When you freeze panes, you select specific rows or columns that remain visible and immovable when scrolling in the worksheet. For example, you would freeze panes to keep row and column labels visible as you scroll, as shown in the example below where row 1 is frozen.

When you split panes, you create separate worksheet areas that you can scroll within, while rows or columns in the non-scrolled area remain visible.

Steps to Freeze Panes to lock specific rows or columns

On the worksheet, do one of the following:

1. To lock rows, select the row below where you want the split to appear.
2. To lock columns, select the column to the right of where you want the split to appear.
3. To lock both rows and columns, click the cell below and to the right of where you want the split to appear.

On the View tab, in the Window group, click Freeze Panes, and then click the option that you want.

Split panes to lock rows or columns in separate worksheet areas:

1. To split panes, point to the split box at the top of the vertical scroll bar or at the right end of the horizontal scroll bar.
2. When the mouse pointer changes to a split pointer or , drag the split box down or to the left to the position that you want at the centre of the worksheet.
   
3. To remove the split, double-click any part of the split bar that divides the panes.

This would enable you view or compare different parts of worksheet that are far apart in close range. For instance, you can compare data in column B with data in column AZ at the same time.

Access The Ribbon Bar Using Keyboard

Keyboard Access To The Ribbon Bar

To acess the Ribbon Bar using the keyboard, take the following steps:

1. Press ALT
2. The KeyTips are displayed over each feature that is available in the current view.
3. Press the letter that appears in the KeyTip over the feature that you want to use.
4. Depending on which letter you press, additional KeyTips may appear. For example, if the Home tab is active and you press I, the Insert tab is displayed, along with the KeyTips for the groups on that tab.
   
5. Continue pressing letters until you press the letter of the command or control that you want to use. In some cases, you must first press the letter of the group that contains the command.
6. To cancel the action that you are taking and hide the KeyTips, press ALT.

Other Shortcut Keys in Microsoft Excel

This articles describes all the other useful shorcut keys in Microsoft Excel that can enable you perform many functions quickly while working in Microsoft Excel. They keys include the Shift Key combine with the Arrow keys, or combining Alt key with the Enter Key and combining Ctrl, Shift with Enter keys and many other key combinantions.

KEYS	DESCRIPTION
ARROW KEYS	The Arrow keys move one cell up, down, left, or right in a worksheet. CTRL+ARROW keys move to the edge of the current data region in a worksheet. Note that data region is a range of cells that contains data and that is bounded by empty cells or datasheet borders. SHIFT+ARROW key extends the selection of cells by one cell. CTRL+SHIFT+ARROW key extends the selection of cells to the last nonblank cell in the same column or row as the active cell, or if the next cell is blank, extends the selection to the next nonblank cell. LEFT ARROW or RIGHT ARROW key selects the tab to the left or right when the ribbon is selected. When a submenu is open or selected, these arrow keys switch between the main menu and the submenu. When a ribbon tab is selected, these keys navigate the tab buttons. DOWN ARROW or UP ARROW selects the next or previous command when a menu or submenu is open. When a ribbon tab is selected, these keys navigate up or down the tab group. In a dialog box, arrow keys move between options in an open drop-down list, or between options in a group of options. DOWN ARROW or ALT+DOWN ARROW opens a selected drop-down list.
BACKSPACE	The Backspace key deletes one character to the left in the Formula Bar. It also clears the content of the active cell. In cell editing mode, it deletes the character to the left of the insertion point.
DELETE	The Delete key removes the cell contents from selected cells without affecting cell formats or comments. In cell editing mode, it deletes the character to the right of the insertion point.
END	The End key moves to the cell in the lower-right corner of the window when SCROLL LOCK is turned on. Also selects the last command on the menu when a menu or sub-menu is visible. CTRL+END move to the last cell on a worksheet, in the lowest used row of the rightmost used column. If the cursor is in the formula bar, CTRL+END move the cursor to the end of the text. CTRL+SHIFT+END extend the selection of cells to the last used cell on the worksheet (lower-right corner). If the cursor is in the formula bar, CTRL+SHIFT+END select all text in the formula bar from the cursor position to the end—this does not affect the height of the formula bar.
ENTER	The Enter key completes a cell entry from the cell or the Formula Bar, and selects the cell below (by default). In a data form, it moves to the first field in the next record. Opens a selected menu (press F10 to activate the menu bar) or performs the action for a selected command. In a dialog box, it performs the action for the default command button in the dialog box (the button with the bold outline, often the OK button). ALT+ENTER starts a new line in the same cell. CTRL+ENTER fills the selected cell range with the current entry. SHIFT+ENTER completes a cell entry and selects the cell above.
ESC	The ESC key cancels an entry in the cell or Formula Bar. It closes an open menu or sub-menu, dialog box, or message window. It also closes full screen mode when this mode has been applied, and returns to normal screen mode to display the Ribbon and status bar again.
HOME	The Home key moves to the beginning of a row in a worksheet. It also move to the cell in the upper-left corner of the window when SCROLL LOCK is turned on. Selects the first command on the menu when a menu or submenu is visible. CTRL+HOME move to the beginning of a worksheet. CTRL+SHIFT+HOME extend the selection of cells to the beginning of the worksheet.
PAGE DOWN	The Page Down key move one screen down in a worksheet. ALT+PAGE DOWN move one screen to the right in a worksheet. CTRL+PAGE DOWN move to the next sheet in a workbook. CTRL+SHIFT+PAGE DOWN select the current and next sheet in a workbook.
PAGE UP	The Page Up key move one screen up in a worksheet. ALT+PAGE UP move one screen to the left in a worksheet. CTRL+PAGE UP move to the previous sheet in a workbook. CTRL+SHIFT+PAGE UP select the current and previous sheet in a workbook.
SPACEBAR	In a dialog box, the Spacebar key performs the action for the selected button, or selects or clears a check box. CTRL+SPACEBAR select an entire column in a worksheet. SHIFT+SPACEBAR select an entire row in a worksheet. CTRL+SHIFT+SPACEBAR select the entire worksheet. Important. a. If the worksheet contains data, CTRL+SHIFT+SPACEBAR select the current region. Pressing CTRL+SHIFT+SPACEBAR a second time select the current region and its summary rows. Pressing CTRL+SHIFT+SPACEBAR a third time select the entire worksheet. b. When an object is selected, CTRL+SHIFT+SPACEBAR select all objects on a worksheet. ALT+SPACEBAR display the Control menu for the Microsoft Office Excel window.
TAB	The Tab key moves one cell to the right in a worksheet. Moves between unlocked cells in a protected worksheet. It also moves to the next option or option group in a dialog box. SHIFT+TAB move to the previous cell in a worksheet or the previous option in a dialog box. CTRL+TAB switche to the next tab in dialog box. CTRL+SHIFT+TAB switche to the previous tab in a dialog box.

 

F1 to F12 Function Keys: Microsoft Excel

What Do The F1 to F12 Function Keys Do in Microsoft Excel?

The following article explains all the function of the Function Key in Microsoft Excel, starting from F1 to F12 keys when used alone and when used in combination with the CTRL key, SHIFT Key and the ALT Key. You can always visit this blog for other function you may require and if the action you perform often does not have a function key for it, you can record a macro to perform it. Later on on this blog, I will post how to record a macro for such activity.

KEY	DESCRIPTION
F1	F1 Key displays the Microsoft Office Excel Help task pane. CTRL+F1 displays or hides the ribbon. ALT+F1 creates a chart of the data in the current range. ALT+SHIFT+F1 inserts a new worksheet.
F2	F2 Key edits the active cell and positions the insertion point at the end of the cell contents. It also moves the insertion point into the Formula Bar when editing in a cell is turned off. SHIFT+F2 adds or edits a cell comment. CTRL+F2 displays the Print Preview window.
F3	F3 Key displays the Paste Name dialog box. SHIFT+F3 displays the Insert Function dialog box.
F4	F4 Key repeats the last command or action, if possible. CTRL+F4 closes the selected workbook window.
F5	F5 Key displays the Go To dialog box. CTRL+F5 restores the window size of the selected workbook window.
F6	F6 Key switches between the worksheet, ribbon, task pane, and Zoom controls. In a worksheet that has been split (View menu, Manage This Window, Freeze Panes, Split Window command), F6 includes the split panes when switching between panes and the ribbon area. SHIFT+F6 switches between the worksheet, Zoom controls, task pane, and ribbon. CTRL+F6 switches to the next workbook window when more than one workbook window is open.
F7	F7 Key displays the Spelling dialog box to check spelling in the active worksheet or selected range. CTRL+F7 performs the Move command on the workbook window when it is not maximized. Use the arrow keys to move the window, and when finished press ENTER, or ESC to cancel.
F8	F8 Key turns extend mode on or off. In extend mode, Extended Selection appears in the status line, and the arrow keys extend the selection. SHIFT+F8 enables you to add a nonadjacent cell or range to a selection of cells by using the arrow keys. CTRL+F8 performs the Size command (on the Control menu for the workbook window) when a workbook is not maximized. ALT+F8 displays the Macro dialog box to create, run, edit, or delete a macro.
F9	F9 Key calculates all worksheets in all open workbooks. SHIFT+F9 calculates the active worksheet. CTRL+ALT+F9 calculates all worksheets in all open workbooks, regardless of whether they have changed since the last calculation. CTRL+ALT+SHIFT+F9 rechecks dependent formulas, and then calculates all cells in all open workbooks, including cells not marked as needing to be calculated. CTRL+F9 minimizes a workbook window to an icon.
F10	F10 Key turns key tips on or off. SHIFT+F10 displays the shortcut menu for a selected item. ALT+SHIFT+F10 displays the menu or message for a smart tag. If more than one smart tag is present, it switches to the next smart tag and displays its menu or message. CTRL+F10 maximizes or restores the selected workbook window.
F11	F11 Key creates a chart of the data in the current range. SHIFT+F11 inserts a new worksheet. ALT+F11 opens the Microsoft Visual Basic Editor, in which you can create a macro by using Visual Basic for Applications (VBA).
F12	F12 Key displays the Save As dialog box. Likewise in all Microsoft Office applications.