Comprehensive List of Excel Keyboard Shortcuts

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Few weeks back I have invited all of you to share your excel keyboard shortcuts in a open thread. More than 50 people commented on that post and shared a hundred excel keyboard shortcuts with us. There were so many wonderful keyboard shortcuts and tricks buried in the comments section of that post. During the weekend, I spent sometime to collect all these beautiful shortcuts and arranged them neatly so that you can easily learn them. Here is the complete list of Excel Keyboard Shortcuts.

Special thanks to all the commenters on the original post. Without you I couldn’t have learned these shortcuts.

Comprehensive List of Excel Keyboard Shortcuts

Here is the complete list of excel keyboard shortcuts.

Note: I have *ed some of the most important shortcuts. These are very useful and extremely time saving ones. You may want to remember a few to boost your productivity.

Select the whole column

Selection

CTRL + SPACE

Select the whole row

Selection

SHIFT + SPACE

Select table

Selection

SHIFT + CTRL + SPACE bar

Save

Selection

CTRL + s

Select visible cells only

Selection

ALT + ;

Select entire region

Selection

CTRL + A

Select range from start cell to far left

Selection

SHIFT + Home

Select range from start cell to end in direction of arrow

Selection

SHIFT + End + arrow

Select a continuous range of data (e.g. pivot), no matter where your cursor is.

Selection

CTRL + *

Select blank cells

Selection

F5 + ALT + S + K + ENTER

Select all cells with comments

Selection

CTRL + SHIFT + O

Select all cells that are directly or indirectly referred to by formulas in the selection

Selection

CTRL + SHIFT + {

Select all cells with formulas that refer directly or indirectly to the active cell

Selection

CTRL + SHIFT + }

Selects all the way to a1 from cursor position

Selection

CTRL + SHIFT + HOME

Select cells in the direction of arrow

Selection

CTRL + SHIFT + Arrow

Previous sheet

Navigation

CTRL + Page Up

Next sheet

Navigation

CTRL + Page Down

Launch GO TO Dialog (from here you can select special or jump to a cell or range)

Navigation

F5

Go to top left (will go to top left of freezed pane if set)

Navigation

CTRL + Home

Go to last non-blank cell

Navigation

CTRL + end

Go to previous sheet

Navigation

CTRL + PgUp

Go to next sheet

Navigation

CTRL + PgDn

Print

Navigation

CTRL + p

Toggle between workbooks in a given session of excel.

Navigation

CTRL + TAB

Change the type of cell reference from relative to absolute or semi-absolute

Formulas

F4

Repeat whatever you did last

Formulas

F4

Debug portions of a formula (select and press)

Formulas

F9

Sum range

Formulas

ALT + =

Enter array formula

Formulas

CTRL + SHIFT + Enter

Select array formula range

Formulas

CTRL + /

Display range names (can be used when typing formulas)

Formulas

F3

Evaluate formulas. (its easy to remember when working with some “tuf” formulas!)

Formulas

ALT + TUF

Copy a formula from above cell and edit

Formulas

CTRL + '

Display the formula palette after you type a valid function name in a formula

Formulas

CTRL + A (while writing a formula)

Alternate between displaying cell values and displaying cell formulas

Formulas

CTRL + ` (Single Left Quotation Mark)

Calculate formulas

Formulas

F9

Select all precedent cells

Formulas

CTRL + [

Select all dependent cells

Formulas

CTRL + ]

Format Selection (cells, objects, charts)

Formatting

CTRL + 1

Bold a cell’s content

Formatting

CTRL + B

Format Painter – Paste formats from selection

Formatting

ALT + EST

Format as number with 2 dp

Formatting

CTRL + SHIFT + 1

Format as local currency

Formatting

CTRL + SHIFT + 4

Format as percentage with 0 dp

Formatting

CTRL + SHIFT + 5

Hide row

Formatting

CTRL + 9

Hide column

Formatting

CTRL + 0

Unhide row

Formatting

CTRL + SHIFT + 9

Unhide column

Formatting

CTRL + SHIFT + 0

Display the style command format menu

Formatting

ALT + '

Sets/removes strikeout in current cell

Formatting

CTRL + 5

Show/hide the top bar when you have a group

Formatting

Crtl + 8

Single border around selected cells

Formatting

CTRL + SHIFT + 7

Sort

Formatting

ALT + DS

Insert hyperlink

Formatting

CTRL + K

Freeze panes

Formatting

ALT + WFF

Remove grid lines or (alt+t)ov(alt+g)[enter]

Formatting

ALT + WVG (2007+)

To wrap lines

Formatting

ALT + HW (2007+)

Save as

Excel Options

F12

Collapse the ribbon (press again to expand)

Excel Options

CTRL + F1

Opens print preview

Excel Options

CTRL + F2

Maximize the current window

Excel Options

ALT + SPACE X

Activate next window

Excel Options

ALT + TAB

Activate previous window

Excel Options

ALT + SHIFT + TAB

Close an excel workbook

Excel Options

crtl + F4

Split screens

Excel Options

ALT + W + S

Create a pivot table in new sheet (of course after selecting the range)

Everything Else

ALT + DPF

Create a pivot table in the same sheet.

Everything Else

ALT + DPN

Show visual basic editor

Everything Else

ALT + F11

Macro dialog

Everything Else

ALT + F8

Apply/remove filter

Everything Else

ALT + DFF

Keep filter on columns, but show all rows

Everything Else

ALT + DFS

Insert pivot table

Everything Else

ALT + NVT

Turn filter on or off

Everything Else

CTRL + SHIFT + L

Paste values only

Editing

ALT + ESV

Edit a cell, place cursor at the end

Editing

F2

Show in-cell drop down with previously entered values

Editing

ALT + Down arrow

Fills down value from cell above

Editing

CTRL + D

Add a comment or Edit comment

Editing

SHIFT + F2

Insert new sheet

Editing

SHIFT + F11

Insert row

Editing

CTRL + +

Delete row

Editing

CTRL + -

Copy

Editing

CTRL + C

Paste

Editing

CTRL + V

Cut

Editing

CTRL + X

Undo

Editing

CTRL + Z

Get a line break inside the cell

Editing

ALT + Enter (while editing the cell)

Clear all contents

Editing

ALT + EAA

Copy

Editing

CTRL + insert

Paste

Editing

SHIFT + Insert

Make chart/pivot chart

Editing

F11

Edit a cell in Apple Macs

Editing

CTRL + U

Copy the value from the cell above the active cell into the cell or the formula bar

Editing

CTRL + SHIFT + "

Copies whatever is in the cell to the left of it.

Editing

CTRL + R

Delete box (cell, row, column)

Editing

ALT + ED

Insert box (cell, row, column)

Editing

ALT + IE

Enter current date

Auto Complete

CTRL + ;

Enter current time

Auto Complete

CTRL + :

Thanks to the contributors

Here is a list of people who contributed these shortcuts.

Vipul, Dau, Stružák, Paul, Eliavs, Pavel S, Fabrice, Noone, Clarity, Jp, Pascal, Jair, Yoav, Nimesh, Bill, Patricia, Mike, Iesmatauw, Chrisham, Harvey, Pranav, Rohit Choudhary, Rohit1409, Rickard, Sachin, Gerald Higgins, Ericlind, Zzz, Felipe, Sridhar, Halva, Catherine, Lavkesh Bhatia, Rick Rothstein, Vishal Haria, Ak, Daniel Ferry, Mehdi Raza.

Thank you 🙂

Share your shortcuts

I know this post is unusally lengthy. But I wanted the list to be as comprehensive as possible. If you know some shortcuts that are not listed, please share them using comments. 🙂

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13 Responses to “Gantt Box Chart Tutorial & Template – Download and Try today”

  1. Oli says:

    Hi Chandoo

    As one of your students I have followed your detailed example through with great success. However, Excel is acting in an unexpected way and I wonder if you could take a look?
    http://cid-95d070c79aef808e.office.live.com/self.aspx/.Public/Gantt%20Box%20Chart.xlsm
    On my version, I have to type 40239 (Which equates to 2 Mar 2010) to get the chart to display 31 May 2010 (which should be 40329)!!??

    Have I done something wrong or is Excel acting up?

    Thx
    Oli
    PS Your example file in 2007 displays correctly.

  2. Dave says:

    Hi,

    I like this idea a lot, but I agree the name is a little drab.

    As an American I may just be seeing things, but to me the combination of lines and bars on your chart looks like a bunch of cricket bats.

    Maybe you could work that into a catchier name. 🙂

    Cheers!

  3. Bob says:

    Here is some code I use to keep the axis synched.
    It may be useful to some of your readers
    It is based on a comment I saw on Daily Dose of Excel.

    Function SynchGanttAxis(Cname, lower, upper)
    'Sets the X min and X max for Category axis

    Application.Volatile

    On Error Resume Next
    '
    'Top Horizontal Axis
    With ActiveSheet.Shapes(Cname).Chart.Axes(xlCategory, 1)
    .MinimumScale = lower
    .MaximumScale = upper
    End With

    'Bottom Horizontal Axis
    With ActiveSheet.Shapes(Cname).Chart.Axes(xlValue, 2)
    .MinimumScale = lower
    .MaximumScale = upper
    End With

    End Function

    Function SynchVerticalAxis(Cname, lower, upper)
    Application.Volatile
    On Error Resume Next
    ' Excel 2007 only
    'Right hand vertical axis
    With ActiveSheet.Shapes(Cname).Chart.Axes(xlValue, 1)
    .MinimumScale = 0
    .MaximumScale = upper
    End With

    End Function

  4. Chandoo says:

    @Oli.. Can you check your file again.. I see 40329...

    @Dave: Even I saw things.. the bars actually looked like lollipops. How about calling this lollipop chart - now that would be yummy and goes along the tradition of naming charts after eatables (bar, pie, donut...)

    @Bob: Superb stuff... thanks for sharing 🙂

  5. Mike H says:

    Hi Chandoo
    This looks really good and I think it can also be applied to show project phases / milestones.

    Question: Thinking further could this be amended to display a project lifecycle (Idea through to Implementation say 7 phases) on one bar / row? Just imagine 20 projects within a programme all on one chart one bar each showing their respective lifecycle stages i.e. on one page.

    Idea: As the Gantt Box Chart this is quite intensive to set up re formatting etc how about the added extra of once you have completed this to "Save as template" i.e. saves the formatting and layout of the chart as a template so you can apply to future charts. Simple to do and will save the time formatting etc again and again and again.
    Therefore tip: Click on your chart demo and then click on Save As template icon (2007) - edit file name and click on save. Ready to use / apply via Templates in Change Chart Type window.

    Thanks and be very interested if the lifecycle question can be resolved

    Mike

  6. Oli says:

    How embarrassing.

    I was obviously suffering from numerical dyslexia. I was one of those days.

  7. Chandoo says:

    @Mike H: You can easily make this chart to work like a generic project lifecycle plan chart. All you have to do is,

    1. in a separate sheet define the steps of lifecycle and various dates in a table (with 5 columns for each of the projects you have).
    2. now use a control cell to input the project name you want to show in the chart
    3. based on the input, use OFFSET Formulas to get the correct data
    4. Rest is same as the tutorial above

    For more info on the dynamic charting visit http://chandoo.org/wp/tag/dynamic-charts/ and http://chandoo.org/wp?s=OFFSET

  8. Your solution is really smart but in the en Excel isn't meant to do stuff like this. I, as a former PM, always thought is was frustrating that you had to do stuff like this for something simple like a Gantt chart. So I built Tom's Planner. And would like to plug it here. I think it really solves the problem you are trying to solve in the most efficient way. Check out http://www.tomsplanner.com for a free account or play around with the demo.

  9. Lopi says:

    Hi there,
    Chandoo - this is really a very nice and helpfull chart - I adopted it, so I can report a forecast or the delay of a certain task (coming from my role as an auditor for projects).
    One topic I´m currently struggeling with: I do have a project lasting for lets say 12 month. For a management reporting, I want to have kind of snapshot, lets say one month back and 2 month in the future. I tried with the offset formula, but failed. Any idea?
    Thx
    Lopi

  10. [...] Ein viel geliebter Klassiker ist die Erstellung von GANTT-Diagrammen mit Excel. Wir hatten das Thema wiederholt schon hier. Chandoo.org hat sich mal wieder mit einer neuen Variante hervorgetan: Das GANTT-Box-Chart. [...]

  11. David says:

    Hi Chandoo - fantastic xls. One thing I can't figure out how to do is adjust the alignment of the vertical axis. I would like to left align so that I could indent to represent sub tasks. Can that be done? Or is there a better way?

  12. Paul says:

    I've been trying to work out if there's a way to show weekends on the graph. The closest thing I've got is to add them on a secondary axis, but then I haven't been able to keep both axis lined up together! Any ideas?

    Following on from this - is it possible to show things like holidays?

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